The Russian pilots of two Su-27 fighter jets that destroyed a US drone were honored by Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu.
The $32 million MQ-9 Reaper drone crashed into the Black Sea on Tuesday after being intercepted by the two Russian fighter jets, in what US officials said was a deliberate act, possibly in the purpose of entering their data.
The United States is in a race against time to recover the Reaper before it falls into Moscow’s hands. However, Russia appears poised to win the race as Putin’s Navy rescue ships are already operating off the coast of Crimea.
Telegram channels indicate that the special purpose vessels Fizik and Professor Vodyanitskiy both sailed to or near the alleged location of the wreckage in the Black Sea.
It comes after a source close to the Russian Defense Ministry claimed Kremlin forces found the downed Reaper drone at a depth of up to 2,953ft in the Black Sea off the main naval port of Sevastopol.
And today the Russian Defense Ministry said Shoigu gave awards to the pilots who destroyed the US drone.
The Russian pilots of two Su-27 fighter jets that destroyed a US drone were honored by Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu. Pictured: A drone image shows the Russian fighter jet dumping fuel on the MQ-9 Reaper
However, Russia appears poised to win the race to find the surveillance drone as Putin’s fleet of Black Sea rescue ships operate off the coast of Crimea today. Pictured: The Prof Vodyanitskiy research vessel in Russia which is believed to be part of the search for the drone
Telegram channels say the special purpose vessels Fizik (pictured in a file photo) and Professor Vodyanitskiy both sailed to or near the alleged location of the wreckage in the Black Sea
In announcing the awards, the ministry repeated the Russian version of events – strongly disputed by Washington which released footage of the crash – that Russian planes did not make physical contact with the drone.
“As a result of abrupt maneuvers at around 9:30 a.m. (Moscow time), the MQ-9 unmanned aerial vehicle performed an uncontrolled flight with a loss of altitude and collided with the surface of the water,” a- he declared.
The Russian ministry said the drone flew with its transponders turned off and violated airspace restrictions Russia had made public as part of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Washington has previously dismissed those claims and said two Russian Su-27 fighters intercepted the unmanned MQ-9 Reaper during a reconnaissance mission over the Black Sea in international airspace.
Before that, Su-27s dumped fuel on the MQ-9 and flew past it several times for 30 to 40 minutes in a “reckless, environmentally friendly and unprofessional manner”, US European Command said.
Drone camera footage released yesterday by the Biden administration showed the terrifying confrontation.
Declassified 42-second color footage from the US military shows a Russian Su-27 approaching the rear of the MQ-9 Reaper drone and releasing fuel as it passes, the Pentagon said. The fuel dump appeared to be aimed at blinding the drone’s optical instruments to flush it out of the area.
On a second approach, either the same plane or another Russian Su-27 following the MQ-9 struck the drone’s propeller, damaging a blade, according to the US military, which said it then gave up the plane in the sea.
The video clip does not show the collision, although it does show damage to the propeller.
Now Russian Navy rescue ships are searching for the destroyed drone in the Black Sea.
The rescue activity came after a source close to the Russian Defense Ministry reportedly told Crimean publication ForPost that an underwater robot found the drone at a depth of up to 2,953ft in the Black Sea. .
The source reportedly said: “An underwater robot descended to the sea floor and detected the MQ-9 Reaper at a depth of approximately 850-900 meters.
“The deepwater branch of the South Stream pipeline passes not far from this area.”
Russian media claimed Kremlin forces found the downed US drone near the port
US officials said the MQ-9 Reaper drone was intercepted by two Russian Su-27 jets which dumped fuel on the drone before cutting off its propeller, forcing it to crash.
US $ 32 million Reaper drone taken out of the sky by Russia
The report says Russian naval forces are “on duty in the area where the US military reconnaissance vehicle fell.”
However, there has been no official confirmation of the report.
The Turkish-built research vessel Fizik is equipped with cranes but the vessel, after leaving the naval port of Sevastopol, returned later, reports said.
It remained in Russian territorial waters while the Reaper fell in international waters, according to the United States.
Professor Vodyanitskiy – a scientific research vessel equipped with laboratories, seismic sensors, echo sounder, underwater camera and other sophisticated research systems – remained at sea, according to reports.
Earlier, White House national security spokesman John Kirby said the drone may never be recovered from the crash site, admitting the wreckage of the Reaper is still in the Black Sea. .
The Pentagon also insisted that the exhibits could not be recovered and that all intelligence had been erased.
Russia and NATO member countries routinely intercept their respective warplanes, but Tuesday’s incident marked the first time since the Cold War that a US plane has crashed in such a confrontation, which raises fears that it will bring the United States and Russia closer to a direct conflict.
The MQ-9, which has a wingspan of 66 feet, includes a ground control station and satellite equipment. It is capable of carrying ammunition, but Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, a Pentagon spokesman, would not say if the abandoned drone was armed.
