Key takeaways:
- US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin declared that US aircraft will continue to fly and operate in accordance with international law, following an incident involving a US drone and Russian aircraft over the Black Sea.
- Austin stated that the incident was part of a pattern of “aggressive, risky, and unsafe actions in international airspace”.
- The incident has raised concerns over the safety of US aircraft in international airspace, and the US is expected to take further measures to ensure the safety of its aircraft.
On Wednesday, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin declared that US aircraft will continue to fly and operate in accordance with international law, following an incident involving a US drone and Russian aircraft over the Black Sea.
The incident occurred on Tuesday, when Russian fighter jets intercepted a US MQ-9 Reaper drone, forcing it to be brought down in international waters. Three US officials familiar with the intelligence stated that the highest levels of the Kremlin had approved the aggressive actions. The jets had also dropped jet fuel on the drone, an unprecedented action, and the intent seemed to be to throw the drone off course or disable its surveillance capabilities.
At the beginning of a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, Austin stated that the incident was part of a pattern of “aggressive, risky, and unsafe actions in international airspace”. He also emphasized that the US will continue to fly and operate in accordance with international law, and that it is incumbent upon Russia to operate military aircraft in a safe and professional manner.
One official noted that there was no indication that the signoff for the incident had gone all the way up to Russian President Vladimir Putin. The incident has raised concerns over the safety of US aircraft in international airspace, and the US is expected to take further measures to ensure the safety of its aircraft.
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