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 United States 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.
“It is not uncommon for there to be intercepts by Russian aircraft of U.S. aircraft over the Black Sea,” said Kirby, according to The Hill. He explained, “There have been, even in just recent weeks, there have been other intercepts. But this one obviously is noteworthy because of how unsafe and unprofessional it was … in causing the downing of one of our aircraft.”
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.”
Russia’s Ministry of Defense later released its own statement, claiming the drone was behaving abnormally and flying toward Russian airspace at the time of the interception.
“The drone flight was carried out with its transponders turned off and violated the boundaries” of the country’s “Special Military Operation” in Ukraine, Russia’s MOD claimed. “As a result of sharp maneuvering at about 9:30 (Moscow time), the MQ-9 drone went into an unguided flight and collided with the water surface.”
The Kremlin further stressed that the Russian jets “did not use their onboard weapons, did not come into contact with the unmanned aerial vehicle, and returned safely to their home airfield.”
RU MOD statement on the Reaper pic.twitter.com/ADzG3kXykL
— Russians With Attitude (@RWApodcast) March 14, 2023
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 message – and 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.
This is a breaking news story and may be updated with additional information as it becomes available.
dslady
March 14, 2023 at 4:18 pm
Wonder if anyone has told Biden? Would not matter if he is told or not because the only thing in his head is the ice cream in his mouth. GOD HELP AMERICA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
FJB-ESAD
March 14, 2023 at 4:38 pm
Don’t Worry, the DF Ice Cream Boy ,Tardo will save Us !!
Mo
March 15, 2023 at 10:55 pm
This was bidens way of giving russia and the chinese all the secret and classified materials, equipment and operations of our drones.
mojo
March 15, 2023 at 10:56 pm
This was bidens way of giving russia and the chinese all the secret and classified materials, equipment and operations of our drones.
Home
March 14, 2023 at 4:21 pm
this is what happens when we elect a senile pussy for president and a looney tune for vp! I said the day after he was elected, he would ruin the economy, screw up covid, and get us into a major war! I hope im wrong, but two out of three have already happened! please cabinet do a title 25 action and get rid of him before the whole country is speaking spanish or russian!
Plato v2.0
March 14, 2023 at 4:30 pm
In a statement, the United States 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.”
Must be the State department has a shortage of estrogen. They usually kiss a lot more arse and suck a lot more DI when the democrats are in charge.
Plato v2.0
March 14, 2023 at 4:32 pm
The biggest concern these pussies have is environmental???
MENTAL without a doubt.
Emotional basket-cases for sure.
Doug Litchfield
March 14, 2023 at 4:53 pm
Something about this smells of more disinformation from the Biden follies. Transponder was supposedly off, so who really had control of this unit and for what purpose?
Grayfox41
March 14, 2023 at 5:02 pm
Flying over international waters w/o transponder i.d. on a heading toward Russia and failing to change course when intercepted? Make that a Chinese craft floating over prime military territory … oh yeah, the US would not shoot it down until mission completed the mission and was out over international waters again.
I am reluctant to ask, but did the US Military expect a different outcome?
CharlieSeattle
March 14, 2023 at 6:38 pm
US action was intentional to provoke Russia.
CPO Bill
March 14, 2023 at 5:05 pm
Any more reckless than our village idiot!
daniel miller
March 14, 2023 at 5:28 pm
Why are we (US military) operating a ‘reaper’ over the Black Sea? Especially with it’s transponder turned off.
Nicholas
March 14, 2023 at 5:38 pm
Shows yet again how “scared” Putin is of Biden. Biden desperate to start another war. Thinks it will get him re-elected.
Kathleen Marion
March 14, 2023 at 6:45 pm
“according to the Biden administration” tells you everything you need to know about the validity of this. They want a war and they will do anything they can to provoke a war! Liars!
Russ
March 14, 2023 at 7:43 pm
At the very least we must down one of their aircraft very soon to send a message that we will not tolerate their aggression. Or maybe just blow up another of their pipelines. Doing nothing is unacceptable and emboldens the evil empire.
John Harrison
March 14, 2023 at 8:04 pm
Time to reconfigure the drones to explode with enough force to take out anything within a hundred yards or so, or arm them with a heat seeking missilery. Blow somebody’s crap out of the air.
pa l
March 15, 2023 at 3:34 pm
NewsFlash….US navel blockades soveriegn country for hosting missile armaments, which US itself also hosts.
NewsFlash….US invades soveriegn country accused of a false narrative they are hosting the same weapons the US has.
News Flash….US flies a weapon of war, with transponders off, close to a regional conflict zone, eliciting a response from one of the participants in the conflict.
The hypocrisy is staggering