The Russian Protection Ministry introduced on Friday that Protection Minister Sergei Shoigu introduced the pilots of two Su-27 jet fighters with awards for intercepting and crashing an American drone over the Black Sea on Tuesday.
The U.S. European Command (EUCOM) mentioned the MQ-9 “Reaper” drone crashed after the 2 Russian Su-27s “conducted an unsafe and unprofessional intercept,” throughout which the MQ-9’s propeller struck one of many Russian planes. The drone was flying in worldwide airspace on the time of the incident.
This photograph taken from video launched on Thursday, March 16, 2023, reveals a Russian Su-27 approaching the again of the MQ-9 drone and starting to launch gasoline because it passes, over the Black Sea, the Pentagon mentioned. (US Division of Protection through AP)
On Thursday, the U.S. launched declassified video of the encounter that confirmed the Russian planes dumping gasoline on the Reaper earlier than colliding with its propeller. The video didn’t seize the second of collision, nevertheless it did present the broken propeller afterward.
Joint Chiefs of Workers chairman Gen. Mark Milley mentioned the video clearly confirmed the “aggressive behavior” of the Russian pilots was intentional.
Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley. (AP Photograph/Susan Walsh)
EUCOM mentioned the encounter demonstrated a “lack of competence” by the Russian pilots, noting that the collision may simply have prompted the Su-27 to crash together with the unmanned MQ-9.
Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) and Protection Minister Sergei Shoigu. (OLGA MALTSEVA/AFP through Getty Photos)
The Russians declare the Su-27 didn’t make contact with the Reaper, opposite to the slightly sturdy impression given by the declassified video. In response to the Russians, the drone was flying with its transponders shut off, violated Russian “airspace restrictions” unilaterally imposed in reference to the “special military operation” in Ukraine, and crashed by itself after it carried out some “sharp maneuvering.”
Shoigu repeated Moscow’s model of occasions when presenting “state awards to the Su-27 pilots who prevented an American MQ-9 drone from violating temporary airspace,” because the Russian Protection Ministry put it.
“This is a clear sign that Russia will keep downing American drones. This decision will receive strong support from the Russian society that wants the government to toughen its policy,” pro-Kremlin commentator Sergei Markov proclaimed on Friday.
In response to the Russian Protection Ministry, Shoigu advised U.S. Protection Secretary Lloyd Austin throughout a Wednesday phone name that Russia blames the crash on “U.S. actions of non-compliance with the flight restriction zone declared by the Russian Federation” and “increased reconnaissance activities against the interests of the Russian Federation.”
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