Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu on Friday gave honours to the pilots of two Su-27 fighter jets that intercepted a US drone near the airspace around Russia's military campaign in Ukraine, news agency Reuters reported.
After being intercepted by Russian planes, the drone fell into the Black Sea on Tuesday, marking the first known direct military confrontation between Russia and the United States since Putin invaded Ukraine a year ago.
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The ministry announced the prizes while repeating Russia's version of events, which America disputes, in which the Russian jets did not make physical contact with the drone.
"As a result of sharp manoeuvring around 9:30 a.m. (Moscow time), the MQ-9 unmanned aerial vehicle went into uncontrolled flight with a loss of altitude and collided with the water surface," the statement was quoted by Reuters in its report.
It said the drone was flying with its transponders switched off, breaking airspace limitations announced by Russia in conjunction with its "special military operation" in Ukraine.
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According to the US military, the Russian fighter jets approached their MQ-9 Reaper drone as it was on a reconnaissance mission over the Black Sea in international airspace. According to the report, the fighters hounded the drone and poured fuel on it for 30-40 minutes before one clipped the drone's propeller, forcing it to crash into the water.
The Pentagon published a 40-second edited video on Thursday showing a Russian fighter jet approaching a U.S. military drone in the air, spilling gasoline near it, and a broken propeller in the aftermath. The event, according to the senior US general, revealed Moscow's growing hostile behaviour.
(With Inputs From Reuters)