The United States military released the video footage showing the incident when its drone was intercepted by a Russian fighter jet sending it crashing into the Black Sea. The footage comes amidst Russia’s denial that it deliberately downed the drone.
The video footage of the incident was declassified and released by the US European Command, showing the Russian Su-27 fighter jet approaching the back of the US MQ-9 drone to dump fuel near it. The footage also showed how there was a loss of video feed after another Russian fighter jet maneuver, which the Pentagon said came from the collision with the drone before ending with images of the drone’s damaged propeller that was said to have resulted from the incident.
Moscow has denied Washington’s accusations that its fighter jets acted recklessly and instead blamed the incident on sharp maneuvers and that the jet did not make any contact with the drone. Russia also blamed the incident on “the intensification of intelligence activities against the interests of the Russian Federation.” Moscow went on to accuse Washington of “escalation” over the situation, warning that it would respond “in kind to all provocations.”
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley both spoke to their Russian counterparts following the incident. US officials have maintained that the military will continue flying drones in the Black Sea even amidst concerns of escalation, according to Kimberley Halkett of Al Jazeera, noting that the drones are surveillance drones that are flying in accordance with international law.
On Thursday, Polish interior minister Mariusz Kaminski said the country’s security service has broken up a Russian spy network operating in Poland and detained nine people suspected of plotting acts of sabotage by monitoring rail routes to Ukraine. A staunch ally of Ukraine and the center of weapons deliveries to Kyiv, Warsaw said it is often being targeted by Russian efforts to destabilize the country.
“In recent days, the Internal Security Agency has detained nine people suspected of collaborating with the Russian secret services,” Kaminski told a news conference. “The suspects conducted intelligence activities against Poland and prepared acts of sabotage at the request of Russian intelligence.
Kaminski said six of the nine people that were detained were charged with espionage for Russia and participation in an organized criminal group. The prosecution proceedings against the remaining three people are still ongoing.