The Russian Defense Ministry said, "Russia is not interested in escalating such incidents, but it will continue to respond appropriately to such provocations."
Moscow: Due to the ongoing war with Ukraine, relations between Russia and America have deteriorated. Several types of restrictions have also been imposed on Russia by the US, as well as the matter of allegedly spying on each other is also coming to the fore. Moscow reported that Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu told the Pentagon chief during a conversation on Wednesday that the drone incident reflected an "increase" in Washington's intelligence against Russia.
Earlier, the United States accused Russia on Tuesday that its Reaper Surveillance Drones were targeted over the Black Sea by Russian Su-27 warplanes. After being targeted by Russia, America's unmanned aerial vehicle was destroyed. However, Russia has been denying any such action on its part.
Increase in intelligence activities: Russian Defense Minister
This is the first such incident between Moscow and Washington since Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a war on Ukraine in February last year.
In a statement, the Defense Ministry said, "Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu told US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Wednesday that there was an increase in intelligence activities against the interests of the Russian Federation" and "non-compliance with the rules of the restricted flight area". Because of this, Moscow had to start a military operation in Ukraine.
The Defense Ministry in Moscow also warned that it would react "appropriately" to any "provocations" by the US in the future. "The flights of US strategic unmanned aerial vehicles over the coast of Crimea are actually provocations, which create tensions in the Black Sea region," the ministry said.
“Russia is not interested in escalating such incidents, but it will continue to respond appropriately to such provocations.” The Defense Ministry said in a separate statement, “Separately, the General Staff of the Russian Army Major Valery Gerasimov spoke to Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley.
US-Russia military chiefs talk on drones
On the other hand, US Defense Minister Lloyd Austin said that he spoke to his Russian counterpart on Wednesday regarding the downing of the American drone over the Black Sea. This was the first phone conversation between Austin and Russian Defense Secretary Sergei Shoigu since October.
Austin said, “I spoke on the phone with my Russian counterpart Sergei. I have said time and again, it is important that the big powers should be the norm of transparency and dialogue. The United States will continue to operate flights wherever international law permits."
Earlier, the US military had informed on Tuesday that a Russian fighter jet targeted an American surveillance drone over the Black Sea, prompting US forces to bring down the unmanned aerial vehicle in international waters.
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