March 14, 2023 6:18 p.m
The incident occurred over international waters. The Americans: “Dangerous and unprofessional action by the Russians, risk of escalation”
Photo gallery – The US drone left Sigonella and got lost in the Black Sea
The risk of an escalation of the war in Ukraine is becoming more and more real, especially after the recent Russian-American incident. In fact, two Moscow jets forced an emergency landing on a US Air Force MQ-9 Reaper drone taking off from US Air Force Base Sigonella. According to US military sources, the incident took place over the international waters of the Black Sea, involving two Moscow SU-27 fighter jets. One of the jets spilled fuel in front of the drone, while the other damaged the propeller mounted on the plane’s tail, forcing operators to lower the drone into the water. Washington subpoenaed the Russian ambassador, but Moscow replies: “The drone crashed after abrupt maneuvers that caused it to fly uncontrolled” and that there was “no contact” with the Russian jets.
USA: “Dangerous act” The drone, explained US Air Force General James Hecker, commander of US Air Forces Europe and Africa, “was conducting routine operations in international airspace when it was intercepted and hit by a Russian plane, resulting in an accident and complete loss of equipment.” The general also spoke of a “dangerous and unprofessional act by the Russians” that almost caused “both planes to crash.”
risk of escalation The White House then announced that there have been “other similar wiretaps recently, but this one is notable because it was dangerous and unprofessional” and caused the downing of a US plane, “so it’s unique in that regard.” And according to the US Air Force, Russian actions could lead to an “unintentional escalation.”
“We will continue to fly over the Black Sea” Precisely to avoid escalation, “the US State Department intends to contact Russian officials and communicate our concerns directly to them.” But if “the message the Russians want to send is to discourage us from flying and operating in international airspace over the Black Sea, then that message will fail because it’s not going to happen,” a spokesman clarified. “The Black Sea does not belong to any nation and we will continue to do whatever is necessary to ensure our national security in this part of the world.”
The Russian version: “He flew to our border” However, according to the Russians, the American drone crashed after abrupt maneuvers that led it into an “uncontrolled flight”. “This morning over the Black Sea in the region of the Crimean peninsula – reports a note from the Moscow Ministry of Defense – the control of the Russian Aerospace Forces recorded the flight of an American MQ-9 unmanned aerial vehicle in the direction of the state border of the Russian Federation”.
Moscow: “No collision between Russian jets and US drone” In addition, according to the Russians, the drone flew “with the transponders turned off, in violation of the limits of the temporary regime of use of airspace established for the purpose of conducting a special military operation.” After finding the drone, “duty air defense fighters were lifted into the air,” but there was “no contact” with the drone. “The MQ-9 unmanned aerial vehicle went into uncontrolled flight with loss of altitude and collided with the water surface. The Russian fighters did not use air forces, did not make contact with the UAV and safely returned to base,” Tass said in a statement .
Russian Ambassador: “US drone flight is a provocation” The plane’s reconnaissance mission was a provocation. This was stated by the Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov at the end of the meeting with Deputy Secretary of State for European Affairs Karem Donfried.
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