The Russian government has fined the pilots involved in the harassment and downing of a US drone in international airspace.
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu earlier this week presented state awards to the fighter jet pilots responsible for shooting down a US drone over the Black Sea.
US VIDEO SHOWS MOMENT WHEN RUSSIAN FIGHTER JET COLLIDES WITH US DRONE
Russian President Vladimir Putin (right) and Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu (left) attend a wreath-laying ceremony at the Eternal Fire and Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Alexander Gardens during an event marking Defender of the Fatherland Day in Moscow. (PAVEL BEDNYAKOV/Sputnik/AFP via Getty Images)
In an official statement, the Defense Ministry praised the pilots for preventing the drone from “violating the limits of the temporary airspace regime established for the special military operation.”
The statement accused the US drone of flying with transponders turned off.
RUSSIA FLYING MORE ARMED PLANES OVER US BASE IN SYRIA, US CENTCOM COMMANDER SAYS
The US European Command on Thursday released video of a Russian Su-27 fighter jet colliding with a US MQ-9 Reaper drone over the Black Sea on March 14. A screenshot shows a jet dumping fuel. (European US Command)
The Russian Defense Ministry stuck to its earlier claims that the plane never touched the drone, despite US video showing a jet cutting off its propeller, forcing the drone to crash into the Black Sea.
“The Russian aircraft did not use any onboard weapons, did not come into contact with the UAV and returned safely to its home base,” the ministry said.
RUSSIAN SHIPS AT US DRONE BOTTOM IN BLACK SEA, US OFFICIAL SAYS ‘YOU DID NOT WASTE TIME’
The video shows a damaged propeller of a US MQ-9 drone that was hit by a Russian Su-17 fighter jet over the Black Sea on March 14, 2023. (European US Command)
US Central Command has seen more “unprofessional” and “unsafe” behavior Russian pilots in Syria since March 1, a commander said Thursday.
General Michael Kurilla explained the ongoing harassment of US forces in the region at a meeting of the Senate Committee on Armed Services.
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Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu (left) and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov attend a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad at the Kremlin in Moscow March 15, 2023. (VLADIMIR GERDO/SPUTNIK/AFP via Getty Images)
The general stated that Russian planes were encouraged to act aggressive towards US bases in a way not typical of an organized military power.
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