Russian Defense Ministry Over US Drone: According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the US is stepping up its strategic drone activities over the Black Sea with the goal of tracking and hitting precise weapons that are given to Ukraine’s armed forces.
“This highlights the growing involvement of the US and NATO in the Ukraine conflict, siding with the Kyiv regime. Such flights significantly heighten the likelihood of airspace incidents with Russian Aerospace Forces aircraft, escalating the risk of a direct confrontation between the alliance and Russia. NATO countries will bear responsibility for this,” the ministry said.
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Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov has given the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces instructions to create plans for quick action in response to what they refer to as US “provocations,” including drone flights over the Black Sea.
According to Bulgarian Military News, the Russian Ministry of Defense claims that there haven’t been any US drones in the area for some months; therefore, the skies over the Black Sea have been quieter lately. However, on June 23, when RIA Novosti revealed that an American RQ-4B Global Hawk reconnaissance drone was over the Black Sea when Sevastopol was under missile attack, things got serious. Based on information acquired, the Russian Defense Ministry thinks that US experts flew long-range ATACMS missiles during this attack.
Russian Telegram channels, notably Fighterbomber, were ablaze with tales of the downing of a US Global Hawk drone over the Black Sea just a day later, on June 24.
Though this has been discussed, the Kremlin has been mute, and neither US nor Russian authorities have officially confirmed it.
Media coverage of the US MQ-9 Reaper drone accident into the Black Sea in March 2023 The US European Command claims that the drone was on a regular operation when a Russian aircraft saw it and caused a mid-air collision.
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In response, the Russian Defense Ministry denied that their fighter jet had any communication with the drone and instead blamed it on an infraction of airspace regulations.
Following the incident, Lloyd Austin, the Pentagon’s commander, declared that the US would carry out flights whenever it was legal under international law. He also underlined the need for Russian military aircraft to behave professionally and safely.
