The US will continue flying in the Black Sea region despite yesterdayʼs drone incident.
This was stated by the spokesman of the National Security Council of the White House John Kirby.
"If their message was to deter or deny us flights and operations in the international airspace over the Black Sea, it will not succeed. We intend to continue to fly and operate in international airspace over international waters. The Black Sea does not belong to any country," he noted.
Washington summoned the Russian ambassador to protest the "reckless" behavior of the Russian pilots of two Su-27 fighter jets. The Pentagon stated the interception of the MQ-9 Reaper drone occurred in international airspace.
According to Pentagon spokesman Brigadier General Patrick Ryder, Russian jets dropped fuel on the MQ-9 in an apparent attempt to blind or damage it and flew in front of the drone before one of the fighters engaged the droneʼs propeller.
- State Department spokesman Ned Price stated the incident was a clear violation of international law.
- Russiaʼs Defense Ministry denied on March 14 that any of its planes had come into contact with the US drone and said the drone crashed due to "abrupt maneuvering."