Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu met with U.S. Pentagon President Lloyd Austin following the downing of the drone in the Black Sea. DEA News.
March 15 US Department of Defense reportedThat Russian Su-27s intercepted an American reconnaissance aircraft, the MQ-9 Reaper, in the sky over the water field, hitting one of them with its wing, damaging the propeller. As a result, he was “forced to drown” by the Americans. The Pentagon stressed that the drone is not armed and is on a reconnaissance mission.
Shortly after the incident, Shoigu and Austin spoke on the phone. The Russian minister noted that the “great powers” should show other countries an example of transparency and sociability.
Austin added that despite the drone incident, the United States will continue to fly over international waters and leave it to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to decide what to do with Artemivsk (Ukrainian name Bakhmut). The head of the Pentagon emphasized that the loss of the city by the Ukrainian Armed Forces would not mean the defeat of Kiev.