Syndicated with permission via Valiant News| Tom Pappert|
Today a U.S. military aircraft was downed by a Russian jet in international airspace over the Black Sea.
A Russian fighter jet intercepted a U.S. Air Force drone over the Black Sea on Tuesday, according to U.S. officials who decried the environmental impact of the incident.
Two Russian Su-27 fighters pursued an American MQ-9 Reaper, an unmanned surveillance drone, then flew in front of the aircraft multiple times and dumped fuel on it. One of the jets then damaged the drone’s propeller, forcing the Air Force to bring the aircraft down “in international waters,” likely destroying the craft.
In a statement, the Pentagon slammed the Russian pilots for acting “in a reckless, environmentally unsound, and unprofessional manner” and accused the Russian pilots of demonstrating “a lack of competence in addition to being unsafe and unprofessional.”
The US Air Force says that a US Reaper UCAV was forced down by two Russian Su-27 fighters (presumably from the 38th Fighter Aviation Regiment) in the Black Sea. "Several times before the collision, the Su-27s dumped fuel on and flew in front of the MQ-9."https://t.co/kQj5HAAGxf pic.twitter.com/fBiPsIoyOE
— Rob Lee (@RALee85) March 14, 2023
White House National Security Spokesman John Kirby said the incident was “not uncommon” but highlighted the apparent escalation from Russia.
Later, Kirby again stressed that the interception was “not uncommon,” and emphasized that the American aircraft “was operating in international airspace over international waters and posed a threat to nobody.”
Foreign analysts have speculated that the event may represent a Russian attempt to gauge America’s commitment to aiding Ukraine by flying aircraft over the Black Sea.
Gonzalo Lira, a foreign journalist currently living in Ukraine, described the Russian actions as “a test.”
“They brought down this American surveillance drone, and they’re going to see how the US reacts,” wrote Lira. “Will the US go to war over a drone? Probably not. So [Russia] will start downing US Black Sea drones regularly.”
It's basically a message—and a test.
The Black Sea is now a Russian lake. They brought down this American surveillance drone, and they’re going to see how the US reacts.
Will the US go to war over a drone? Probably not.
So RF will start downing US Black Sea drones regularly. https://t.co/dupL1XtawY
— Gonzalo Lira (@GonzaloLira1968) March 14, 2023
The United States has led the West in sending billions of dollars worth of aid, weapons, and money to Ukraine since Russia invaded the country last year.
Russia claims the invasion, which it still terms a “special military operation,” was warranted due to the threat of Ukrainian state violence against ethnic Russians living in the disputed Donbass region of the country. Ukraine and its allies, meanwhile, maintain that the invasion was unprovoked.
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