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The United States and Russia continue to trade accusations over the crash of a US drone in the Black Sea. Washington describes a “dangerous and irresponsible act” by the Russians, while Moscow claims that two Russian fighter jets intercepted a drone, but ensures that they were not responsible for the crash of the device.
According to the version of the Russian Ministry of Defense, the crash of the American drone, which was in the Crimean Peninsula, resulted from “a brutal maneuver that ended up dictating the fall of the device in the waters [do Mar Negro]”.
Russian authorities added that the fighters did not use any weapons, nor did they come into direct contact with the drone, having returned safely to the air base.
The United States insists that two Russian fighter jets caused the crash of the unmanned aircraft, after having flown over it several times. Pentagon spokesman Pat Ryder said Russian fighter jets had dropped fuel and damaged the propeller of the drone that ended up crashing into the Black Sea.
Washington describes a “dangerous and irresponsible act” by the Russians, while Moscow speaks of a “provocation”, referring to it being a hasty maneuver by the drone that caused its crash.
The episode led the US State Department to call the Russian ambassador in the country to ask for an explanation. The Russian ambassador to the US, Anatolv Antonov, explained that the drone in question can carry around 1700 kilograms of explosives, questioning what the US reaction would be. if a Russian drone of this type was seen very close, say, to San Francisco or New York.
This Wednesday, March 15, Kiev accused Russia of trying to “extend” the war in Ukraine to other parts, following an incident between Russian fighter jets and an American drone in the Black Sea. If Russia’s responsibility is confirmed, it will be the first such incident between US and Russian unmanned aircraft since the Cold War.