Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu has awarded two pilots for intercepting a US MQ-9 Reaper drone over the Black Sea during Russia’s military operation in Ukraine. The move follows US accusations of an “unsafe” intercept that led to the drone’s crash. Russia denies responsibility, claiming the UAV lost control. Shoigu presented awards to the Su-27 pilots, lauding them for preventing the drone from violating Moscow’s airspace restrictions. The Russian military contends the drone flew with transponders off, breaching the temporary airspace regime. The US military released a video of the incident, stating the drone was on a routine mission in international airspace.
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Awards for Intercepting US Drone
Russian Defence Minister Shoigu awards two pilots involved in intercepting a US MQ-9 Reaper drone over the Black Sea amid ongoing military operations in Ukraine.
Russia denies causing the drone’s crash, stating it lost control, while the US accuses Russia of an “unsafe” intercept.
Shoigu praises the pilots for preventing airspace violation and awards them for their role in intercepting the US drone during the ongoing “special military operation.”
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US-Russia Drone Incident Details
The US military releases a video of the incident, claiming the drone was on a routine mission when intercepted over the Black Sea in international airspace.
Russia contends the drone flew with transponders off, violating airspace restrictions, while the US alleges that fighter jets dumped fuel on the drone during the 30-40 minute encounter.
Tensions rise as the incident adds to the ongoing disputes between the US and Russia over military actions in the Black Sea amid the conflict in Ukraine.
