The Kremlin’s top level officials authorized the aggressive actions of Russian military fighter jets against a U.S. military drone over the Black Sea on Tuesday, according to NBC News, who cited U.S. officials.
The Russian jets dropped fuel on the MQ-9 Reaper before clipping its propeller, causing the U.S. to bring the aircraft down.
According to the unnamed officials, intelligence suggests that the aim was to disrupt the drone’s surveillance capabilities or divert it from its intended course.
One official stated that it was unclear if President Vladimir Putin knew about the authorization.
NEW: Russia Will Seek To Recover Downed US Drone, Kremlin Says https://t.co/apZ7VrFJH3
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) March 15, 2023
On Wednesday, Russia said it would take efforts to recover the drone. U.S. officials say that a retrieval would be extremely difficult.
