Shoigu featured fighter pilots who ‘prevented border violations’ with US drone for rewards

Head of the Russian Defense Ministry Sergei Shoigu presented the Su-27 fighter pilots, who “prevented the violation of the borders of the special operation zone” by the American MQ-9 drone, for awards of ‘State. This was reported in Press service departments.

“The Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation, Army General Sergei Shoigu, presented for the state awards the pilots of the Su-27 aircraft, who prevented the violation by the air vehicle unmanned American MQ-9 from the borders of the area of ​​​​the temporary regime of use of airspace, established for the purpose of conducting a special military operation, ”says the report of the departments.

The Ministry of Defense explained that the drone flew with the transponders switched off, violating the borders of the zone of the temporary regime for the use of airspace. At the same time, as reported in the department, the zone boundaries have been extended to all users of international airspace in accordance with international standards.

According to the MoD, on-duty Air Defense Force fighters were lifted into the air for the “purpose of identifying the intruder”.

“As a result of abrupt maneuvers at around 9:30 a.m. (Moscow time), the MQ-9 unmanned aerial vehicle entered uncontrolled flight with a loss of altitude and collided with the surface of the water,” the report said. report.

The ministry clarified that the Russian planes did not use airborne weapons, did not come into contact with the UAV and “returned safely to the airfield of origin”.

On the evening of March 14, the United States European Command reported that a Russian Su-27 fighter jet collided over the Black Sea with an American MQ-9 Reaper drone. At the Pentagon, that one of the two planes that took part in the interception and spilled fuel on the drone crashed into the drone. After that, the aircraft had to be flooded in international waters, the US military said. The Russian Defense Ministry said the same day that the Su-27s had not made contact with the MQ-9s.

Pentagon Chief Lloyd Austin and Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu had a phone conversation after the incident. Nikolai Patrushev, secretary of the Russian Security Council, said Russian specialists would take over the downed MQ-9.

On March 17, Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, commenting on the incident at sea, wrote that the Americans were “completely obnoxious” and “it’s wrong to do the ceremony with them.” According to him, drones must comply with flight restriction rules, which are established by Russian law.