Russia-US relations at “lowest point” after drone incident

• Relations between the US and Russia are at their lowest point.
• After a Russian fighter jet forced a US Air Force drone to crash in the Black Sea.
• The drone was carrying out routine operations in international airspace at the time.

Relations between the US and Russia are at their “lowest point” and are in a “deplorable situation” after the US military said a Russian fighter jet forced a US Air Force drone to crash in the Black Sea, the Kremlin’s spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, told reporters on Wednesday.

Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia, was informed of the event, according to Peskov, but there was no high-level communication between Moscow and Washington.

“Russia did not resist productive conversation, and is not refusing it now,” Peskov continued.

He cited a statement made by the Russian Defense Ministry on Tuesday that said there was no physical contact between the planes.

“I suggest that you focus on the statement of the Ministry of Defense, which clearly states that no weapons were used, and there was no physical contact,” Peskov said.

A Russian aircraft “intercepted and hit the MQ-9, resulting in a crash and complete loss of the MQ-9,” according to Air Force Gen. James B. Hecker, commander of US Air Forces Europe and Air Forces Africa, in a statement.

The drone was carrying out routine operations in international airspace at the time.

According to the Russian ambassador to the US, “American planes have no business being near the Russian border” despite the fact that Russia does not wish to engage in “confrontation” with the US.

Since Russia began its invasion of Ukraine just over a year ago, this incident marks the first time that Russian and US military aircraft have come into direct physical contact.

The US has called Russia’s actions “reckless, environmentally unsound, and unprofessional,” and tensions between the two countries are likely to rise as a result.

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