Date: March 18, 2023 Time: 06:32:44
Russian Defense Minister General of the Army Sergei Shoigu presented for the awarding of state awards to the pilots of the Su-27 aircraft who escorted the American MQ-9 drone into the depths of the Black Sea with a single wing.
Russian Defense Minister General of the Army Sergei Shoigu presented for the awarding of state awards to the pilots of the Su-27 aircraft who escorted the American MQ-9 drone into the depths of the Black Sea with a single wing.
“The pilots prevented the violation by the American MQ-9 unmanned aerial vehicle of the limits of the area of the temporary regime for the use of airspace, established for the purpose of conducting a special military operation. The boundaries of the area have been communicated to all users of international airspace and published in accordance with international standards,” the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement.
The ministry recalled that the air incident occurred on the morning of March 14 in the region of the Crimean peninsula. An American MQ-9 drone with its transponders turned off (it was trying to hide its NATO membership) was advancing in the direction of the Russian state border. And when he went to violate the limits of the area of the temporary regime for the use of airspace, which was established for the purpose of conducting a special military operation (the limits were brought to all users of international airspace and published in accordance with the international standards), fighters rose from the air defense forces in service.
The images published by the Americans show that our pilots did not hide their presence. They flew several times near the drone, which is equipped with surveillance cameras. The drone operator could have deployed the drone, changed the route, but didn’t.
“As a result of sharp maneuvers at around 9:30 a.m. (Moscow time), the MQ-9 unmanned aerial vehicle went into an uncontrolled flight with loss of altitude and collided with the surface of the water,” the Defense Ministry said.
The military department stressed that the Russian fighters “did not use airborne weapons, did not come into contact with an unmanned aerial vehicle and returned safely to their home airfield.”
