Russian pilots involved in U.S. drone incident to be given awards. Why? – National | 24CA News
Russian fighter pilots concerned in an incident with a U.S. drone that resulted in its crash will probably be given state awards, the Defence Ministry introduced Friday.
The transfer seems to sign Moscow’s intention to undertake a extra aggressive stance towards future U.S. surveillance flights.
The U.S. navy mentioned it ditched the Air Force MQ-9 Reaper within the Black Sea on Tuesday after a pair of Russian fighter jets dumped gasoline on the surveillance drone after which certainly one of them struck its propeller whereas it was flying in worldwide airspace.
Moscow has denied that its warplanes hit the drone, alleging that it crashed whereas making a pointy maneuver. It mentioned that its warplanes reacted to a violation of a no-flight zone Russia has established within the space close to Crimea amid the preventing in Ukraine.
On Friday, Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu lauded the pilots for stopping the drone from flying into the realm that Moscow has banned for flights. The Defense Ministry mentioned the ban was “in line with international norms.”
Moscow’s announcement comes a day after the U.S. navy launched a declassified 42-second colour footage displaying a Russian Su-27 fighter jet approaching the again of the U.S. drone and releasing gasoline because it passes in what seemed to be aimed toward blinding the drone’s optical devices to drive it from the realm.
On a second method, both the identical jet or one other Russian Su-27 that had been shadowing the MQ-9 struck the drone’s propeller, damaging a blade, in line with the U.S. navy, which mentioned it then ditched the plane within the sea. The video excerpt doesn’t present the collision, though it does present the harm to the propeller.
The prime U.S. and Russian protection and navy leaders spoke Wednesday concerning the destruction of the drone, underscoring the occasion’s seriousness. The calls between U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Mark Milley, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Gen. Valery Gerasimov, chief of Russian General Staff, had been the primary since October.
While calling out Russia for “reckless” motion, the White House additionally tried to keep away from exacerbating tensions. U.S. officers emphasised that they haven’t been capable of decide whether or not the Russian pilot deliberately struck the American drone and pressured that traces of communication with Moscow stay open.
Read extra:
Russia-U.S. drone incident prompts uncommon talks between navy chiefs as relations bitter
Russian officers additionally emphasised the necessity to keep traces of communication, however they harshly denounced the U.S. motion as smug disregard of Moscow’s no-flight zone.
“This is a clear sign that Russia will keep downing the American drones,” pro-Kremlin political analyst Sergei Markov wrote in a commentary on the award announcement. “This decision will receive a strong support from the Russian society that wants the government to toughen its policy.”
Moscow has repeatedly voiced concern about U.S. intelligence flights near Crimea, which Russia seized from Ukraine in 2014 amid sturdy worldwide condemnation. The Kremlin has charged the U.S. and its allies of successfully turning into engaged within the battle by offering weapons and sharing intelligence with Kyiv.
Some Russian officers charged that the U.S. surveillance flights helped collect intelligence that allowed Ukraine to strike Russian targets.
© 2023 The Canadian Press
