MOSCOW: Russia will continue to react proportionally to any future US “provocation”, says Russia Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said a day after the Russian Su-27 fighter jet shot down a US military drone over the Black Sea, TASS reported.
Russia will continue to respond proportionately to any provocations similar to the flight of US drones near the Russian border, Shoigu said.
According to the TASS news agency, Shoigu made the remark during a telephone conversation with US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on Wednesday (local time) where they exchanged views on the causes and consequences of the incident with the American unmanned aerial vehicle.
“The focus was on an exchange of opinions on the causes and consequences of the incident with the American unmanned aerial vehicle that crashed into the Black Sea on March 14 this year,” said the ministry.
The ministry said Shoigu said the incident was caused by US measures that did not respect flight restrictions, which Russia had established for a certain area due to the special operation, and by a collection of enhanced intelligence directed at Russia.
During their phone conversation, Shoigu told Austin that the drone incident was caused by the United States’ failure to comply with flight restrictions that Russia had set for certain areas, TASS reported citing the ministry. of the defense.
Shoigu said US drone flights near the Crimean coast are provocative, creating conditions for the situation to escalate, the Russian ministry said.
Earlier, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin told Russia that their planes would continue “to fly and operate wherever international law permits”, a day after the Russian fighter plane Su- 27 shot down a US military drone over the Black Sea, CNN reported.
At the Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting, Austin said “this episode is part of a pattern of aggressive, risky and dangerous actions in international airspace.”
“So make no mistake, the United States will continue to fly and operate where international law permits. And it is Russia’s responsibility to operate as military aircraft in a safe and professional manner,” he added.
Austin was the first administration cabinet member to directly address the incident, which occurred Tuesday when two Russian Su-27 jets intercepted a US MQ-9 Reaper drone, CNN reported.
The downing of the drone marked the first time that Russian and American military planes have come into direct physical contact since Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine.
On Wednesday, the Russian Defense Ministry said the US drone, an MQ-9 unmanned aerial vehicle, was seen flying over the Black Sea near the Crimean Peninsula, in violation of regime zone boundaries. temporary airspace established during the special operation. .
Meanwhile, the US State Department has summoned Russian Ambassador Anatoly Antonov to convey “our strong objections”, department spokesman Ned Price reported on CNN.
Price also said US Ambassador to Russia Lynne Tracy “sent a strong message to the Russian Foreign Ministry.”
Russia will continue to respond proportionately to any provocations similar to the flight of US drones near the Russian border, Shoigu said.
According to the TASS news agency, Shoigu made the remark during a telephone conversation with US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on Wednesday (local time) where they exchanged views on the causes and consequences of the incident with the American unmanned aerial vehicle.
“The focus was on an exchange of opinions on the causes and consequences of the incident with the American unmanned aerial vehicle that crashed into the Black Sea on March 14 this year,” said the ministry.
The ministry said Shoigu said the incident was caused by US measures that did not respect flight restrictions, which Russia had established for a certain area due to the special operation, and by a collection of enhanced intelligence directed at Russia.
During their phone conversation, Shoigu told Austin that the drone incident was caused by the United States’ failure to comply with flight restrictions that Russia had set for certain areas, TASS reported citing the ministry. of the defense.
Shoigu said US drone flights near the Crimean coast are provocative, creating conditions for the situation to escalate, the Russian ministry said.
Earlier, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin told Russia that their planes would continue “to fly and operate wherever international law permits”, a day after the Russian fighter plane Su- 27 shot down a US military drone over the Black Sea, CNN reported.
At the Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting, Austin said “this episode is part of a pattern of aggressive, risky and dangerous actions in international airspace.”
“So make no mistake, the United States will continue to fly and operate where international law permits. And it is Russia’s responsibility to operate as military aircraft in a safe and professional manner,” he added.
Austin was the first administration cabinet member to directly address the incident, which occurred Tuesday when two Russian Su-27 jets intercepted a US MQ-9 Reaper drone, CNN reported.
The downing of the drone marked the first time that Russian and American military planes have come into direct physical contact since Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine.
On Wednesday, the Russian Defense Ministry said the US drone, an MQ-9 unmanned aerial vehicle, was seen flying over the Black Sea near the Crimean Peninsula, in violation of regime zone boundaries. temporary airspace established during the special operation. .
Meanwhile, the US State Department has summoned Russian Ambassador Anatoly Antonov to convey “our strong objections”, department spokesman Ned Price reported on CNN.
Price also said US Ambassador to Russia Lynne Tracy “sent a strong message to the Russian Foreign Ministry.”
