Official says such actions “could lead to miscalculation and unintended escalation.“
A U.S. Air Force drone was intercepted and forced down over the Black Sea by a Russian fighter jet on Tuesday, officials have confirmed.
White House national security spokesman John Kirby said, “It is not uncommon for there to be intercepts by Russian aircraft of U.S. aircraft over the Black Sea. And 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.”
Reports say the U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drone was flying over international waters of the Black Sea. It was flanked by two Russian jets. One pilot flew his jet in front of the drone and dumped fuel. One jet then damaged the unmanned drone’s propeller, which forced the drone into the sea.
Spokesman Kirby said, “I want to stress that this MQ-9 was operating in international airspace over international waters and posed a threat to nobody, and it was an unsafe and unprofessional intercept.”
He added that the United States was not going to be deterred from flying in international space over international waters, including over the Black Sea.
It is the first time Russian and U.S. military aircraft have had direct contact since the Ukraine invasion a year ago. A U.S. Air Force spokesperson called Russia’s actions “reckless, environmentally unsound, and unprofessional.”
European Command warned, “These aggressive actions by Russian aircraft were dangerous and could lead to miscalculation and unintended escalation.”
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For Secretary Lloyd Austin to be discerning as he heads the Defense Department.
- For the president and his military advisers as they respond to the downing of the drone.
- For wisdom for General Cavoli as he heads the European Command.
Sources: The Hill, CNN, The Independent
