Last Updated: July 07, 2023, 06:30 AM IST
Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)
In this image from video released by the U.S. Air Force, Russian military SU-34 and SU-35 aircraft release flares in the flight path of a U.S. Air Force MQ-9 Reaper drone, lower left, on Thursday, July 6, 2023, over Syria. (U.S. Air Force via AP)
The Russian and American planes “dropped flares in front of the drones and flew dangerously close
Russian aircraft harassed American drones taking part in operations against the Islamic State jihadist group in Syria on Thursday for the second time in 24 hours, a US commander said.
Moscow’s “military aircraft engaged in unsafe and unprofessional behavior Thursday, 9:30 am local time, while interacting with US MQ-9 drones,” Air Force Lieutenant General Alexus Grynkewich said in a statement.
The planes “dropped flares in front of the drones and flew dangerously close, endangering the safety of all aircraft involved,” he said.
Read More: Russian Fighter Jets Harassed US Drones Targeting ISIS Terrorists in Syria: Report
The previous day, Grynkewich said Russian jets also dropped flares in front of US MQ-9s, while one pilot turned on their plane’s afterburner in front of a drone.
Earlier this year, the United States said a Russian jet clipped the propeller of a drone operating over the Black Sea, causing it to crash. Moscow denied it was responsible.
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – AFP)
