![]() ![]() On Wednesday two US officials familiar with the intelligence told CNN that senior officials at the Russian Ministry of Defense gave the order for the Russian fighter jets to harass a US drone over the Black Sea this week. US says footage ‘absolutely confirms’ there was a collisionĪ senior Biden administration official said the footage “absolutely confirms” that there was a physical collision and dumping of fuel, but it does not confirm the pilot’s intent. The downing of the drone marked the first time Russian and US military aircraft have come into direct physical contact since Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine.ĭespite the release of the dramatic footage, and the back-and-forth over who is to blame, the Biden administration has not said it will take action against Russia over the downing of the drone, perhaps indicating a desire to not further escalate tensions after the Kremlin said Wednesday that relations between Moscow and Washington are at their “lowest point.” On its way down, two US officials told CNN the operators remotely wiped the drone’s sensitive software, mitigating the risk of secret materials falling into enemy hands before it crashed into the water. With the propeller damaged, the drone operators effectively flew the aircraft as a glider as it descended over the Black Sea, bringing it down in international waters southwest of Crimea. When the camera comes back online in the footage, the view is again pointed backward, and the propeller is shown damaged from the collision. Russia has denied that a collision occurred. The video from the drone is then disrupted as the Russian fighter jet collides with the MQ-9 Reaper, damaging the propeller and ultimately forcing the US to bring down the drone in the Black Sea. In another portion of the footage, the Russian jet makes another pass. As it draws closer, the Russian fighter jet dumps fuel as it intercepts the US drone. Then, a Russian Sukhoi SU-27 fighter jet is shown approaching. The video shows the camera of the MQ-9 Reaper drone pointed backward toward its tail and the drone’s propeller, which is mounted on the rear, spinning. US Air Force MQ-9 camera footage: Russian Su-27 Black Sea intercept - bent propller on drone US European Command
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |