Two Russian Aerospace Force fighter jets took off on Monday to intercept two US drones flying over the Black Sea towards the Russian border, near the annexed Crimean peninsula, Russian authorities announced.
“The air control facilities of the Russian Aerospace Force detected two US Air Force MQ-9 Reaper and RQ-4 Global Hawk drones flying in the direction of the Russian border in the southwestern Black Sea region,” the Force said. Russian Air in a statement. .
According to the Russian military department, US spy drones were carrying out a reconnaissance mission in the region of the Crimean peninsula, internationally recognized as Ukrainian territory, but under Russian occupation since 2014.
“To avoid the possible violation of the Russian state border and to avoid espionage by drones, two Russian combat planes took off,” explained the Air Force, adding that, after the maneuver of the planes, the US drones changed course. and left the air zone. recognition zone.
Last March, two Russian warplanes caused an American drone to crash over the Black Sea, claiming that it was an American provocation “by violating the limits of the temporary airspace restriction zone” established by Russia.
More recently, in July, for two consecutive days, Russian planes followed US spy drones into Syrian airspace, carrying out maneuvers that endangered the safety of these planes.
On August 5, Russia sent a fighter jet to intercept another MQ-9A drone over the Black Sea.
Source: TSF
