Russia says it has intercepted an American drone over the Black Sea

The Russian Air Force on Saturday sent a Su-30 fighter to intercept. American reconnaissance drone MQ-9A Reaper over the Black SeaThis is stated in the message of the Russian Defense Ministry.

“The crew of the Russian fighter jet has identified the aerial target as a US Air Force MQ-9A Reaper spy drone,” the agency, headed by Sergei Shoigu, said.

“After the approach of the Russian fighter a foreign spy drone made a U-turn and moved away from the state border of Russia. The Russian plane returned to its base, avoiding violation of the state border of Russia,” the Defense Ministry added.

According to the military command, “the flight of the Russian fighter was carried out in strict accordance with international rules for the use of airspace over neutral waters.”

The situation happened during growing tension in the Black Seawhere hostilities on both sides intensified in the area after Russia pulled out of an agreement in mid-July that allowed Ukraine to export grain by sea.

Over the last few hours Russian tanker was shot down by Ukrainian drones in the Kerch Straittemporarily interrupting traffic on a strategic bridge linking Russia with the Crimean peninsula.

A source in the Ukrainian security service confirmed the operation to the AFP news agency.

“During the night, the SBU (Security Service of Ukraine) struck a large SIG oil tanker from the Russian Federation, which was carrying fuel for Russian troops,” he said. This new “special operation” was carried out using a naval drone and explosives, the source added, calling it “successful.”

Also on Friday, Ukrainian maritime drones attacked a major Russian port on the Black Sea and damaged the Novorossiysk warship and the Olenegorsky Gonyak large landing ship.

The episode of the US drone condemned by the Russian government is reminiscent of another that took place in March last year.

At the same time, two Russian fighter jets shot down an American drone over the Black Sea, considering it a “provocation” on the part of the United States “by violating the borders of the temporary airspace restriction zone” established by Russia. Crimea.

Most recently, in early July, for two days in a row, Russian aircraft “harassed” American spy drones in Syrian airspace with maneuvers that threatened the safety of these aircraft.

DB

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