Russia has issued a stern warning regarding U.S. drone flights over the Black Sea, signaling potential forceful actions in response to what it perceives as provocations. The Russian Defense Ministry announced on Friday that Defense Minister Andrei Belousov has instructed officials to prepare measures to counteract the increased presence of American reconnaissance aircraft in the region.
The ministry highlighted a recent surge in U.S. drone activity over the Black Sea, accusing these drones of conducting intelligence and targeting operations for precision weapons supplied to Ukraine by Western nations. This, according to Moscow, underscores the growing involvement of the U.S. and NATO in the Ukraine conflict on the side of Kyiv.
The Russian Defense Ministry’s statement emphasized that such flights significantly raise the risk of incidents involving Russian military aircraft, thereby increasing the likelihood of a direct confrontation between NATO and Russia. “NATO members will bear responsibility for that,” the ministry warned.
This development follows a notable incident in March 2023, when a Russian Su-27 fighter jet damaged a U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drone, causing it to crash into the Black Sea. This marked the first direct clash between Russian and U.S. forces since the Cold War, highlighting the potential for escalating tensions over the Ukraine conflict.
The Pentagon and U.S. European Command reported that two Russian Su-27 aircraft had dumped fuel on the MQ-9, which was conducting a routine surveillance mission in international airspace over the Black Sea. The Russian Defense Ministry, however, claimed that the U.S. drone was flying near the Russian border and had intruded into a restricted area declared off-limits by Russian authorities. Russia has designated broad areas near Crimea as no-fly zones since its illegal annexation of the peninsula in 2014.
The recent Russian statement also follows a Ukrainian attack on Sevastopol over the weekend, involving U.S.-made ATACMS missiles. According to Russian authorities, the attack resulted in four deaths and around 150 injuries. Russian officials have accused the U.S. of direct involvement in the attack by providing intelligence and targeting information, and have warned of potential retaliatory measures.
In a related development, the Belarusian military announced on Friday that it has bolstered its forces along Ukraine’s northern border in response to perceived security threats. The Belarusian Defense Ministry stated that it has deployed multiple rocket launchers in an unspecified section of the 1,084-kilometer (700-mile) border. Belarus, under the leadership of President Alexander Lukashenko, has close ties with Russia and allowed Moscow to use its territory to launch the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
The Belarusian announcement came after the country’s border agency claimed that its troops had downed a Ukrainian drone that crossed the border to gather intelligence.
The U.S. has previously responded to Russian warnings by asserting its right to conduct missions in international airspace over the Black Sea. “We’re going to continue to fly and operate in international airspace over international waters. The Black Sea belongs to no one nation,” White House adviser John Kirby stated in March.
The increased flights of U.S. drones over the Black Sea, according to the Russian Defense Ministry, indicate the growing involvement of the U.S. and NATO in the Ukraine conflict. The ministry reiterated that such flights significantly increase the likelihood of airspace incidents with Russian aircraft, raising the risk of direct confrontation between NATO and Russia. “NATO countries will be responsible for this,” the ministry stated.
The warning from Russia comes days after a Russian newspaper claimed, citing a local Telegram channel, that the country’s military might have shot down a U.S. surveillance drone over the Black Sea. Pravda, a Russian daily broadsheet, reported that the information was first circulated by the Fighterbomber Telegram channel, which has links to the Russian Aerospace Forces. The newspaper suggested that the downed drone could have been an RQ-4 Global Hawk.
Both the U.S. and Russia have denied the incident. Idrees Ali, a national security correspondent for Reuters, stated on X (formerly Twitter) that a U.S. military official reported no incidents over the Black Sea. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov also told reporters that he had no information about such an incident.
As tensions continue to simmer, the potential for further confrontations between Russian and U.S. forces in the Black Sea remains a significant concern. The situation underscores the broader geopolitical stakes of the Ukraine conflict and the risks of escalation between major powers.
Source: AP News, Newsweek
