Assessed As Successful In Preventing US Drones From Violating Airspace, Russian Defense Minister Ganjar Pilots Of Sukhoi Fighter Jets With State Awards

Russian fighter jets when intercepting US drones over the Black Sea. (Source: YouTube screenshot of the US European Command channel)

JAKARTA - Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu ordered awards to Sukhoi Su-27 fighter jet pilots who managed to intercept the United States (US) MQ-9 spy plane over the Black Sea region, which was prohibited for flights during special military operations, the Russian Defense Ministry announced Friday.

"Russian Defense Minister General Sergei Shoigu has issued an order to award the country to the pilots of the Su-27 aircraft, which did not allow US-owned MQ-9 unmanned aircraft to violate airspace that was prohibited from being used during special military operations," the ministry said in a statement. a statement, reported TASS March 17.

The Ministry of Defense stressed that the limits of the airspace prohibited for flights are conveyed to all users of international airspace, as well as published in accordance with international norms.

The US Air Force's MQ-9 unmanned aircraft crashed in international waters of the Black Sea on March 14. The Russian Ministry of Defense said the US reconnaissance drone flew in a turned off runway towards the Russian border, entering airspace designated for the purpose of special military operations in Ukraine.

The US drone lost control "due to sudden maneuvers" and fell into the water. Meanwhile, Russian fighter jets trying to intercept intruders did not use weapons on board and did not make contact with the UAV, the ministry said.

The country's version of Uncle Sam, two Russian Su-27 fighter jets intercepted an MQ-9 reconnaissance drone over the Black Sea and fired jet fuel at it several times. Washington said one of the fighter jets hit a US drone propeller and caused it to fall into the Black Sea.

Quoting Reuters, the Pentagon on Thursday released a 40-second video that had been edited, showing a Russian fighter jet approaching US military drones in the air, disposing of fuel nearby, and damaged propellers as a result. The top US general said the incident showed Moscow's increasingly aggressive behavior.