(VOVworld) – Russia’s Defense Ministry on Monday rejected allegations that its aircraft violated a NATO member country’s airspace.

General Igor Konashenkov, spokesman for the Russian Defense Ministry (Photo: TTXVN)

General Igor Konashenkov, the spokesman for the Russian Defense Ministry, said Moscow was surprised when Bulgarian Defense Minister Nikolai Nenchev accused Russian military airplanes of turning off their transponders and violating Bulgaria’s airspace, NATO’s area of responsibility, four times during the past month. Konashenkov said Russian aircraft often fly across the Black Sea on a schedule which complies with international airspace laws.