‘Reckless!’ Moment Russian pilot crashed into US drone
THE US military yesterday released declassified footage showing the extraordinary moment a 1,553mph Russian jet crashed into its drone.
The 42-second video from the unmanned craft showed the Kremlin’s SU-27 warplane dumping fuel on it while making two very close passes.
The jet then flew directly at the MQ-9 Reaper drone, sending it crashing into the Black Sea near Crimea.
The Americans, who originally said the incident lasted up to 40 minutes, said the video proved the Russian pilot’s “reckless” flying caused the accident.
The jet is believed to have suffered a damaged propellor. But Putin’s henchmen continue to deny a crash even happened.
US Air Force General Pat Ryder said: “Based on the actions of the Russian pilot, it was clear that it was unsafe and unprofessional.The actions speak of themselves.”
The warring nation yesterday won the race to find the site where the drone went down, claiming to have found it 3,000ft down in the sea off the Crimean port city of Sevastopol.
The US said the Reaper was worthless to the Russians. Head of America’s military, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley said: “As far as the loss of anything of sensitive intelligence, we did take mitigating measures, so are quite confident that whatever was of value is no longer of value.”
The first direct confrontation between America and Russia since the invasion of Ukraine led to two rare calls between the countries – and the Kremlin to say relations were in a “lamentable state”.
Gen Milley and his counterpart, Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov, spoke on the phone about Tuesday’s incident but did not release details. Later their defence ministers also talked. The Kremlin’s Sergei Shoigu told Lloyd Austin that operating drone flights near Crimea, occupied by Russia for nine years, was provocative and could lead to an escalation, Putin’s Defence Ministry said.
The despot’s officials said they “had no interest in such a development but will in future react in due proportion”.
Mr Austin would not reveal whether he criticised the Russians but reiterated that the US would continue flying where international law allowed. He also demanded Kremlin military aircraft fly in a safe and professional manner.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said allies were being kept informed.
UK Defence Select Committee Chair Tobias Ellwood called it a “blatant attack over international airspace”. Asked if NATO needs to take action, he said it “should not pass without consequences”.
Meanwhile, as fierce fighting continued across a 300-mile Eastern Front in Ukraine, President Volodymr Zelensky commemorated the one-year anniversary of the Mariupol theatre bombing which killed 300, including many children.
Also yesterday, China and Ukraine’s foreign ministers spoke, with Beijing claiming it is “committed to promoting peace”.
● The British Army will get more firepower after defence chiefs agreed to buy 14 Archer artillery systems – which fire “further and faster” than ever before. It comes after donations of AS-90s to Ukraine to repel Putin’s forces left us low on weapons.