Things have escalated since Russia deliberately downed a U.S. surveillance drone over the Black Sea. US, Russia ratchet up their rhetoric over downing of drone.
According to the Dept. of Defense:
A Russian Su-27 aircraft struck a U.S. Air Force intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance MQ-9 unmanned aerial vehicle’s propeller, causing U.S. forces to bring it down into international waters of the Black Sea early this morning, according to U.S. Air Force Gen. James B. Hecker, commander, U.S. Air Forces Europe and Air Forces Africa in a statement today.
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“Several times before the collision, the Su-27s dumped fuel on, and flew in front of the MQ-9 in a reckless, environmentally unsound and unprofessional manner. This incident demonstrates a lack of competence in addition to being unsafe and unprofessional,” Hecker stated.
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The incident most likely caused damage to the Russian aircraft, although it was able to land, he said.
Pilots who destroyed US Reaper drone are honoured by Russia https://t.co/XHkOgePzPR
— Daily Mail Online (@MailOnline) March 17, 2023
The Kremlin said the flight proved again that Washington is directly involved in the fighting in Ukraine and added that it would try to recover the drone wreckage from the Black Sea. To this end it has sent ships to try to recover the wreckage, which is likely submerged 4,000 to 5,000 feet deep.
Russia also warned that it would react “proportionately” to any future US “provocations” as tensions simmered and Moscow denied that its Su-27 military aircraft had clipped the propeller of the unmanned Reaper drone.
Russia races to salvage US drone wreckage https://t.co/N6t9Y33JN3
— The Manila Times (@TheManilaTimes) March 17, 2023