The State Department summoned Russia’s ambassador to the US, Anatoly Antonov, for a protest after a Russian warplane collided with a US Reaper drone over the Black Sea and destroyed it.
US officials said the MQ-9 surveillance drone was shot down early Tuesday after an “unsafe and unprofessional interception” in international airspace by two Russian Su-27 fighter jets.
That’s what Pentagon officials said Russian fighters harassed the drone by dumping fuel on it and flying in front of it before a Su-27 clipped the $32 million drone’s propeller and forced it over the Black Sea with a total loss of the UAV.
“This incident demonstrates a lack of competence, in addition to being unsafe and unprofessional,” Pentagon press secretary Brig. gen. Pat Ryder, of the Pentagon said at a news conference.
In a statement, Russia’s defense ministry denied the collision with the US drone, saying the US aircraft went into “uncontrolled flight” due to “sharp manoeuvres”.
The incident took place in international airspace, but not far from the fighting raging on the front lines of the war Ukraineamid the ongoing Russian invasion of the country.
“This incident demonstrates a lack of competence, in addition to being unsafe and unprofessional,” Pentagon press secretary Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder (above) said.
A Russian fighter jet collided with a US MQ-9 Reaper drone (pictured above) over the Black Sea, the US military confirmed today
Two Russian Su-27 fighter jets (seen above) carried out an “unsafe and unprofessional interception” in international airspace, the US said.
President Joe Biden has been briefed on the incident, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said, calling Russia’s actions reckless and dangerous.
The Russian Defense Ministry claimed the US drone had entered its airspace with the transponder turned off and Russian warplanes were dispatched to investigate.
“Russian fighters did not deploy air forces and did not interact with the US drone,” the ministry said in a statement.
“Due to sharp maneuvers, the American drone went into an uncontrolled flight with loss of altitude and collided with the water surface,” the statement said.
Russian Ambassador Antonov was summoned to discuss the incident, State Department spokesman Ned Price said, calling it a “brutal violation of international law.”
Kirby, the White House spokesman, said the State Department would “speak directly with his Russian counterparts and express our concern about this unsafe and unprofessional interception.”
“If the message is that they want to discourage or dissuade us from flying in international airspace over the Black Sea, that message will fail,” Kirby said.
“We don’t have to check in with the Russians in any way before we fly into international airspace. It’s not mandatory, and neither are we,” Kirby added.
Although the United States does not operate warships in the Black Sea, it regularly flies surveillance aircraft in and around the area.
The Russian ambassador to the United States, Anatoly Antonov (above), was summoned by the State Department to discuss the incident
On Tuesday, Putin visited the Ulan-Ude aviation facility in Buryatia, Russia, where he reiterated his view that Russia’s survival as a state at war is at stake.
“Our MQ-9 aircraft was conducting routine operations in international airspace when it was intercepted and struck by a Russian aircraft, resulting in the crash and total loss of the MQ-9,” said US Air Force General James Hecker told SU. Air Force in the region.
“This unsafe and unprofessional action by the Russians almost caused both planes to crash,” Hecker added.
The general further promised that “US and related aircraft will continue to operate in international airspace and we call on the Russians to behave professionally and safely.”
The European command said in a statement that the incident followed “a pattern of dangerous actions by Russian pilots” over international airspace, including the Black Sea.
“This aggressive action by Russian aircrew is dangerous and could lead to miscalculations and unintended escalations,” the statement said.
The collision between a US-made MQ-9 Reaper and a Russian Su-27 fighter jet happened at 07:03 BST (2:03 a.m. ET) on Tuesday.
Analysts suspect the Russians may have tried to shoot down the much smaller UAV so they could recover its data.
General Ryder, the Pentagon spokesman, said the incident happened over international waters and well outside Ukraine after the Russian jets flew close to the drone for 30 to 40 minutes.
Ryder added that there was no communication between the planes before the impact.
The MQ-9 can carry munitions, but Ryder declined to comment on whether it was armed or the specifics of its mission, saying only that the drone was designed for reconnaissance, surveillance and reconnaissance.
Ryder also declined to identify the base from which the destroyed MQ-9 was launched.
The US has deployed MQ-9s to several NATO allies in Europe, including NAS Sigonella in Italy, Miroslawiec AB in Poland, Campia Turzii in Romania and Larissa Air Base in Greece.
US officials said neither the US nor Russia had recovered the destroyed drone by Tuesday evening local time.
The US has no warships in the Black Sea, but public flight records showed on Tuesday night that a US Navy P-8 Poseidon surveillance plane was patrolling the Romanian coast, possibly in connection with a salvage operation.
Public flight data showed on Tuesday evening that a US Navy P-8 Poseidon surveillance aircraft was patrolling the Romanian coast, possibly in connection with a salvage operation
A US Air Force Boeing P-8 Poseidon maritime reconnaissance aircraft flies over neutral waters of the Black Sea in a photo taken by Russian Sukhoi Su-30 fighter jets that intercepted it in July 2021
In Brussels, NATO’s top military commander, General Christopher Cavoli, briefed allies on the incident, an alliance official said.
It came as waves of Russian troops advanced along the front line in eastern Ukraine, with President Vladimir Putin reiterating his view that Russia’s survival as a state was at stake in the war.
In the eastern Donbass region, Russia and Ukraine are locked in the bloodiest infantry battle in Europe since World War II after Moscow launched a winter offensive.
Putin has seen Moscow’s years-long incursion into Ukraine as a defensive pushback against what he sees as a hostile West determined to expand into areas historically ruled by Russia.
“It is therefore not a geopolitical task for us, but a task to ensure the survival of the Russian state, to create conditions for the future development of the country and our children,” Putin said during a said visit to an aircraft factory in Buryatia. about 4400 kilometers away. east of Moscow.
Putin accuses the West of using Ukraine as a tool to inflict a “strategic defeat” on Russia.
Kiev and its Western allies say Moscow is waging an unprovoked war of conquest that has devastated Ukrainian cities, killed thousands and forced millions to flee.
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Elizabeth Cabrera is an author and journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a talent for staying up-to-date on the latest news and trends, Elizabeth is dedicated to delivering informative and engaging articles that keep readers informed on the latest developments.
