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U.S. says Russian jet caused spy drone crash over Black Sea; Moscow denies collision

106 Comments
By Phil Stewart, Idrees Ali and Olena Harmash

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106 Comments

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Next time, borrow a Chinese balloon to get away with it.

7 ( +8 / -1 )

Tokyo,you live at the mercy of the US,only stand between Japan demise is the US, Japanese do not defend the Tsargu straits,with bisect Hokkaido and the main island,one day you will eat everything you said about America

-12 ( +0 / -12 )

In addition to blowing up the Russian gas pipeline, good old US want to spy with its drones..

Well done Russia, now there are two powers, Russia and China that do not bow to the geopolitic whims of US..

Multipolar world here we go!!!!...

1 ( +9 / -8 )

Did the Russians know it was just a spy drone, and not an armed one like the one that killed 7 civilians in Somalia last January.

0 ( +5 / -5 )

So Russia knocked down a US spy drone? A drone providing the Ukrainians with targeting info or other military intelligence. They actually warned this would happen back in January.

2 ( +9 / -7 )

The US was testing Russia and it got a respons!

Im not surprised at all

-3 ( +6 / -9 )

Ukraine has become a nuisance to the US,a hard headed President,that will make his last stand in Bakhmut, against the advice of his benefactor, Russian generally know Ukrainain, because they lived under Russian authority most of their lives,inherit their corrupt ways,

-5 ( +2 / -7 )

Everyone should be given 100 GPS Coordinates,that either cannot defend and the one left standing wins

-6 ( +2 / -8 )

Awa no Gaijin

Someone please explain why the drone was operating in international airspace without the transponders on ?

Maybe because it's a spy drone? The Russians complaining about that are just making excuses.

-3 ( +5 / -8 )

The USA and its allies have been collecting military intelligence in these areas since before Putin made the dumb decision to invade Ukraine. This intelligence is shared with the Ukrainian for tactical actionable data to strike Russian military targets. Sorry, not sorry.

-4 ( +3 / -7 )

Silly school boy war games !....Grow up ! There are NO winners in war....we all lose as a species. The human Psyche has not evolved in 1000s of years. Technologically... ' YES '.....Psychologically ' NO '.

-3 ( +3 / -6 )

the NPCs won't be happy until there is a nuclear exchange.

Which we are getting closer and closer to.

-3 ( +4 / -7 )

it really is the first direct contact that the public knows about between the West and Russia

Well, I doubt that. I’m not the public and have no details from there, but there have already been news long before, that they had killed ground fighters who were for example volunteering US citizens or had some of them in custody, later released in those war prisoners exchanges with the Ukrainians. So that’s another direct contact, not the first, and even less , it’s not even a real contact, only contact with a military equipment , because those drones are unmanned as far as I know.

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

The fact that the yanks aren't complaining too loudly says it all They encroached on Russian airspace and lost a very expensive piece of kit as a result... lesson learnt...hopefully!

Lol Russian airspace over the western Black Sea? Absurd as per usual.

-3 ( +4 / -7 )

So again it's hardly surprising the Russian military did what they did.

they did it in international airspace, just gave the US military to act the same way.

lets see how tough those Russian pilots are next time with F22 raptor escorts

-5 ( +3 / -8 )

Awa no Gaijin

Obviously, the Russians would love to get their hands on this high-tech beauty and reverse engineer it. They have nothing like it to speak of.

Total nonsense !

Even the Russian new stealth PAK-DA makes the new us raider look slow and has a high tech drone that accompanies it whereas the raider doesn't !

And how many PAK-DAs does Russia have?

-6 ( +2 / -8 )

Finally the real encounter! But NATO (No Action Talk Only) force become real coward to face man to man with actual superpower.

lmfao you think an unarmed US drone is a match for an armed Russia jet.

let try that again with a fully armed F22 raptor, see how brave those Russian pilot are then

-3 ( +5 / -8 )

Yrral

I do not see Russian American as enemies,most Americans do not even know their are Russian American living among us

You say you live in America, Larry? English obviously a second language. Supports Putin. Yes, I believe it.

-4 ( +3 / -7 )

Israel airforce and navy sunk the USS Liberty in international waters in 1967, that was not an accidental one. They bombed and shooting at the ship for hours. Because that spyship was providing intelligence to Egypt.

Russia had been "Over Generous" the hostile actions of NATO using the international air and water. The NATO planes or drones were providing intelligences to Ukraine army!

3 ( +7 / -4 )

Awa no gaijin: So again it's hardly surprising the Russian military did what they did.

You just gave Americans the right to shoot down Russian assets over international airspace.

Noice. I support that.

-7 ( +3 / -10 )

The fact that the yanks aren't complaining too loudly says it all They encroached on Russian airspace and lost a very expensive piece of kit as a result... lesson learnt...hopefully!

1 ( +8 / -7 )

Give the last GPS Coordinates,it will verify who. was right, Russian fly east of Crimea toward Russia far from Ukraine

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

I do not see Russian American as enemies,most Americans do not even know their are Russian American living among us

-5 ( +2 / -7 )

""As for us, we do not want any confrontation between the United States and Russia. We are in favor of building pragmatic relations for the benefit of the Russian and American peoples," Antonov was quoted as saying.""

I am SURE war mongers on both sides disagree with you sir.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Well neither side is particularly happy when the other side gets close enough to see what they are doing. But taking actions that bring down aircraft, drone or otherwise in international airspace needs to be condemned by everyone. It inflames tensions and puts lives at risk. In this instance the life at risk was the pilot on the SU-27. A self inflicted risk perhaps but other than provoking the US to take retaliatory action, it accomplishes nothing but setting a precedent for the US to down a Russian drone in international airspace at some time in the future.

Strictly speaking the US followed international norms, while Russia went outside normal accepted and acceptable actions.

Russia is at fault here and like China releasing chaff into the engines of a recon plane in the South China sea, these despotic nations are slowly altering the rules and what is acceptable in international territory. They will of course object strenuously when it is done back to them but now they have no moral ground to stand on. They started it.

-3 ( +5 / -8 )

Obviously, the Russians would love to get their hands on this high-tech beauty and reverse engineer it. They have nothing like it to speak of.

2 ( +7 / -5 )

The Fu, Ukrainain do not have control of their airspace,how many leaders have flew to Kiev ,I will buy you a round trip their if you willing to take a chance

-6 ( +3 / -9 )

They are manning US Intel post in Germany,over seeing Himars firing position,relaying GPS to Ukraine,you can be a passive deadly war participant

-3 ( +5 / -8 )

Yrral

Russian did not have no choice after the US killed thousands of Russian in Ukraine

The US do not have troops in Ukraine.

-3 ( +6 / -9 )

Russia acting like a 7 yr old who's been caught with his hands in the cookie jar. Of course, the little boy lies about. That's standard Russian denial. Look for a few seconds of video to be released in a few days.

Unarmed drone just watching Ukraine in international airspace ... or over Ukraine with the approval of Ukraine.

Russian air superiority jets in international airspace doesn't want the US seeing their crimes. They wanted the drone out of the sky and wanted to say they didn't use any weapons. Look for spray oil release defensive systems to be added to all those drones to hinder rear bumps or flying too close.

The Russian Defense Ministry has denied striking the MQ-9, instead claiming that Russian pilots observed the drone in “uncontrolled flight” before it crashed into the sea.

What they didn't say is just as important as what they did say. We've learned to interpret between the lines the things that all govts state, right?

-3 ( +5 / -8 )

I say send another drone in the same area. If the Russians do it again, then we know what really happened the first time. Next, send a third drone with an escort and see what the Russians do.

7 ( +13 / -6 )

Yawn. Detonate it next time and send a pilot down to the bottom of the sea.

-5 ( +3 / -8 )

Is that your perception from reading my one sentence remark?

Then why bring up nuclear testing? Relevance?

-5 ( +2 / -7 )

Russian did not have no choice after the US killed thousands of Russian in Ukraine,by assistance of GPS Coordinates given to Ukrainain,one day a mushroom cloud will go up up in the sky and the point of no return will happen

-4 ( +8 / -12 )

You are trying pretty hard to justify an illegal action taken in international airspace. It's not working...

life lesson:

just because you CAN do something (operate in international waters) doesnt mean you SHOULD (its bad timing and too close to a war location)

0 ( +5 / -5 )

Nobody dies ! The Soviet Union has shot down suspicious foreign spy planes over international air!

The Russians shall never apologize!

-7 ( +4 / -11 )

When we scrambled we had strict rules about our conduct of the intercept. You kept your distance and never did anything that could be considered dangerous. We were always professional and back then so we’re the Soviets.

The Soviets kept some sophisticated intelligence ships off west coast military bases 12-24 miles offshore. Just barely outside the territorial limit. Our standing orders were to stay well away, never fly over them or harass them or you risked losing your wings. Again, everyone was professional.

Flying close to Russia in international airspace, even with a recce platform does not justify harassing it and causing it to crash.

0 ( +7 / -7 )

We all know its there to spy on Russia and monitor Ukraine.

Anything wrong with that?

3 ( +8 / -5 )

Btw, don’t assume the MQ-9 was operating out of Incerlik. It could just as easily have been based in Romania.

2 ( +7 / -5 )

Cards fanToday  10:41 am JST

Are you alleging the drone over the Black sea was conducting nuclear testing in international space?

Is that your perception from reading my one sentence remark?

-6 ( +4 / -10 )

Every nation is not allowed to use international airspace for nuclear testing.

Are you alleging the drone over the Black sea was conducting nuclear testing in international space?

-3 ( +5 / -8 )

Desert TortoiseToday  10:34 am JST

The bottom line here is that any nation my use international airspace for any reason they wish including intelligence collection. 

Wrong.

Every nation is not allowed to use international airspace for nuclear testing.

-5 ( +6 / -11 )

The bottom line here is that any nation my use international airspace for any reason they wish including intelligence collection. Most modern militaries do this including the Russians and very much the Chinese. The Soviets used to jam and spoof our navigation aids at sea, called “MEACONING” trying to fool us into flying to what we thought was our ship but was really their trawler hoping to run us out of fuel over water so we’d have to ditch or they’d shine lasers into cockpits to blind aircrew. The Russians have always been sob’s and guys like Black would have run like a scared dog instead of shrugging our shoulders and carrying on alongside our allies. You never let countries like Russia scare you.

-1 ( +9 / -10 )

first at all

drone had off transponders,did not communicate with russians.so was high risk for any planes in area incl civilian ones.so unresponsible manner for anyone in area,regardless if was international airspace or russian one.

drone flew over Black Sea,which lies not even near by USA,US saying was on spying mission and unarmed.in short-clear provocation.

imagine same thing will be done by russian drone,will fly from Cuba towards Florida.russians will say was in international air space,unarmed and was on spying mission.I believe US reaction will be no different than russian one.

USA likes to ignite conflicts faraway from own location but this time they did a big mistake.Russia is not Grenada,Afghanistan,Iraq,Libya or Syria.This is nuclear armed country figthning for its interests.

rule no 1-never underestimate Russia.or better-dont****with Russia

rebiata did great job.

protected own country,downed enemys advanced weaponry without big effort,no shot fired,no life lost.

any calling for sanctions against USA yet?

-3 ( +10 / -13 )

NATO works together and Turkey is a member country. NATO missions can start from there. All of NATO needs protection which is why the treaty exists.

Russian frequently infringes the UK on its sea areas.

0 ( +7 / -7 )

The US Navy also passes through international waters much to the dismay of China. If these are not maintained China will believe it owns them.

1 ( +9 / -8 )

Turkey is a NATO member and borders the Black Sea which is enough reason to put a drone in the sky.

-4 ( +6 / -10 )

Blacklabel - it sounds like we just have a difference of opinion on this one, so I will let it rest, but there is no way that the US is going to cede our right to patrol anywhere we are legally allowed to. Maybe you can take up your disagreement with our policy with the Secs of State and Defense.

-4 ( +5 / -9 )

Of course it's no problem, until one aircraft tries to down the other. Is it really that difficult to understand?

So the drone was in international waters and it’s no problem? then so were the jets and it’s also no problem, right?

If so then both have the right to be there and no one is at fault then. Maybe both sides just stay in their own air space to prevent a recurrence?

-2 ( +5 / -7 )

US should not be in Cuba’s territorial waters or over their airspace without permission, but any nation on earth can park 12 miles off of the coast of Cuba or the US. Easy.

-1 ( +5 / -6 )

Cuba routinely run the coast guard out of their waters,US plane are not allowed to fly over Cuba, even during hurricane,when they may let hurricane hunters fly over to save a 300miles flight and gather data Google US Hurricane Hunters Fly Over Cuba

-5 ( +3 / -8 )

Blacklabel - International waters means precisely that. Every country on earth is free to send their military and civil aviation/aerospace there and that is not going to stop. Would you really have the US military stop patrolling international waters?

-2 ( +6 / -8 )

So the drone was in international waters and it’s no problem? then so were the jets and it’s also no problem, right?

If so then both have the right to be there and no one is at fault then. Maybe both sides just stay in their own air space to prevent a recurrence?

-3 ( +11 / -14 )

Those 2 Russian jets wanted to show off.

Just following orders.

It’s a provocation for them to even be in the area.

the US isn’t participating in this war, right?

International waters.

The US has legitimate security and economic interests around the world to protect. (Now, old boy, that wasn’t too “extreme right-wing”-ish of me, was it?)

-5 ( +4 / -9 )

Blacklabel

So a guy walks back and forth for hours on the public street right in front of your house.

Well, for this analogy to be accurate, the guy would be walking back and forth 12 miles from the front of my house.

And I say, fine.

-3 ( +7 / -10 )

"I had no choice but to punch a man walking in the street"

Hit him with the door you just opened.

reading is fundamental.

-5 ( +7 / -12 )

Recce drone, not recent drone. I hate autocorrect (auto misspell).

0 ( +7 / -7 )

There are three NATO allies bordering the Black Sea all of whom cooperate with each other and the other NATO members including the US. There is nothing even a little bit provocative about a U.S. recent drone in the area in which it was rammed.

The US military has operated in the Black Sea region since the end of WWII to reinforce its status as an international waterway. During the Cold War there were occasions where Soviet warships deliberately bumping those of the US Navy conducting freedom of navigation ops. This is a similar sort of thing.

-1 ( +9 / -10 )

you open the door to go to the super and hit him. “It’s a public street” is his answer. and you are ok?

Peak @Black! 

"I had no choice but to punch a man walking in the street"

I feel dumber for reading that analogy. How did you torture that one from your mind?

4 ( +10 / -6 )

Why does almost every post of yours apologize for Russia while denigrating the US and our allies?

-7 ( +8 / -15 )

Blackabel - our NATO allies Bulgaria, Romania, and Turkiye, plus Ukraine, are all much closer to the site of the drone hit, than Russia is. We will continue to patrol there.

-5 ( +8 / -13 )

There was also a story in 2014. The destroyer Donald Cook entered the Black Sea. The crew of the Donald Cook was demoralized after the meeting with the bomber СУ-24, and a number of media outlets reported that 27 American sailors had written reports on their dismissal from the fleet. What scared the destroyer crew so much? Deja forgotten?

-11 ( +5 / -16 )

It’s a provocation for them to even be in the area.

the US isn’t participating in this war, right?

-3 ( +11 / -14 )

$56.5 million is for the package that includes 4 aircraft with sensor, ground control station, and satellite link.

Man, it’s like a full-time job fact checking these threads.

0 ( +9 / -9 )

56 million dollars down the toilet.

Thanks Joe! Well if they even told him what they were doing in the first place.

-6 ( +11 / -17 )

Blacklabel - it was the Russians who scrambled to intercept the US drone, again, not close to Russian territorial waters.

-3 ( +8 / -11 )

U, Russian put a no fly zone over Ukraine,the final GPS Coordinates should be made public,too add insult it was piss on by an Russian aircraft,this should warrant a retaliatory strike like you Chicken Hawk advocate

-4 ( +6 / -10 )

I mean, if you think 12 miles from shore is too short of a distance then that’s a different conversation, but those are the rules as understood by everyone.

1 ( +7 / -6 )

So a guy walks back and forth for hours on the public street right in front of your house.

you open the door to go to the super and hit him. “It’s a public street” is his answer. and you are ok?

no. it’s why are you walking back and forth in front of my house so close that I can’t avoid you.

-7 ( +10 / -17 )

The Black Sea seems to be a bit far from the good ole "we're not a party to the conflict" US.

-2 ( +13 / -15 )

No, absolutely not. International waters means international waters. I wouldn’t have a basis to complain.

3 ( +13 / -10 )

Do you complain when Chinese and Russians come close to our territorial waters?

I do. Don’t you, except for this case?

-10 ( +9 / -19 )

Blacklabel - the location where the drone was hit was much closer to Romanian, Bulgarian, Ukrainian, and Turkish shores than Russian. Not even close to Russian territorial waters.

Do you complain when Chinese and Russians come close to our territorial waters?

3 ( +12 / -9 )

US really wanted to escalate those conflicts. in any reasons possible. they want to start something and bring the other with him. he was like "NATO! do something, this guy pinch me. i was just peeking"

same with NK= Japan/SK conflict. he purposely starts provocative "countermeasures" until someone, either NK or SK will make a mistake

Taiwan is not yet escalated since US is busy on those 2 boys.

you see. this is a psychological warfare tactics by US but using those "international rules" provocatively. until he accumulates enough countries to follow him or justify his future actions.

-3 ( +10 / -13 )

It's an escalation to fly in international airspace? Only if you think Russia has the right to be the international airspace police.

escalation by the White House and the Pentagon having a US drone in the Black Sea, right?

1 ( +12 / -11 )

escalation by the White House and the Pentagon having a US drone in the Black Sea, right?

Wrong. International waters, and they've been there awhile. Like since the beginning of the war.

You can actually track the manned flights over the Black Sea.

-1 ( +12 / -13 )

The Trump supporters are already advocating the US giving up our rights in international airspace to the Russians.

Americans will fight you on this.

-9 ( +10 / -19 )

Blacklabel - these are international waters. Just like we can’t complain when the Russians or Chinese park themselves or fly close to our shores, they shouldn’t complain when we fly close to theirs.

Are you one of those Americans who complain when the Chinese and Russians fly or sail close to ours?

-6 ( +11 / -17 )

condemned by the White House and the Pentagon -- which warned of the risk of escalation. 

escalation by the White House and the Pentagon having a US drone in the Black Sea, right?

-8 ( +17 / -25 )

A credible-reputable pro-ukranien source reports: The Russian TV channels have collected money that will be given as a prize to the pilot who shot down the US drone:)))) May be it's a joke:))) The same source: the cost of the drone is 56,5 mln dlr. Is it true?

-11 ( +6 / -17 )

My father always said, get back to your own house and avoid problems. 

Weird thing to always say. Did you vacation in war zones or something?

2 ( +19 / -17 )

Diagonalslip, as one is free to do in or over international waters. Russia and China do this as well, and are allowed to come within 12 miles of other countries’ shores and are able to do so unimpeded and legally.

8 ( +17 / -9 )

A U.S military MQ-9 surveillance drone 

militarily surveilling the Black Sea I take it....

4 ( +15 / -11 )

My father always said, get back to your own house and avoid problems. Capisce? Being realistic does not mean taking sides. Lots of people are hypnotized with the freedom and democracy, not knowing what is behind it.

3 ( +19 / -16 )

Bronco, yeah, sure, whatever you say!

The drone was over international waters!

Those 2 Russian jets wanted to show off.

Downing a drone - such a great success (/s)!

And where did you come up with that explanation:

"Drones must yield to aircraft that has humans on board."

How about installing some traffic lights, stop signs, and so on?

Besides, "humans" - still calling those Russian aggressors human?

@Sakurasaki

which superpower are you talking about?

By the way -Russians interfered with that drone - man against machine, I would say!

Glory to Ukraine!

Glory to the heroes!

Ukraine prevails!

1 ( +28 / -27 )

Yrral

This was an intentional act,not and accident,a retaliatory strike , should be the response

And boom, WW3...

16 ( +23 / -7 )

This was an intentional act,not and accident,a retaliatory strike , should be the response

-26 ( +8 / -34 )

Finally the real encounter! But NATO (No Action Talk Only) force become real coward to face man to man with actual superpower.

-32 ( +12 / -44 )

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