US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke to his Russian counterpart, Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, about the destruction of a US drone over the Black Sea, which has brought the two countries closest to direct conflict since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine a year ago. The incident, in which a Russian fighter jet allegedly poured fuel on the surveillance drone and struck its propeller, has raised tensions between the two nations. Austin emphasized the importance of maintaining open communication channels to prevent escalation, saying that the US and Russia need to be able to “pick up the phone and engage each other” to avoid miscalculation.
The US military has released footage of the encounter, which shows a Russian fighter jet approaching the drone and striking its propeller. Russia has denied any involvement in the incident, but US officials have maintained that the collision was intentional. The US is working on declassifying surveillance footage from the drone to prove its claims.
Despite the seriousness of the incident, both sides have expressed a desire to de-escalate tensions. US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley said that the US has “absolute evidence” of the contact between the Russian fighter jet and the drone, and that it was “very aggressive”. However, he also acknowledged that it is unclear whether the collision itself was intentional.
US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin (Via Lloyd Austin/Twitter)
US officials have refused to disclose sensitive information about the drone’s payload or video footage, citing concerns over protecting sensitive technology. However, officials have long acknowledged that the US can remotely remove sensitive information from high-tech drones and make systems inoperable to prevent them from falling into the wrong hands.
Austin and Shoigu have spoken previously about the war in Ukraine, and their latest conversation has been described as a “de-escalatory” move. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, however, has taken a harder line, suggesting that the US is trying to provoke an escalation through its drone flights and that Russia will respond “in kind” to any future provocations.
Despite the tensions, Austin has emphasized the US commitment to flying wherever international law allows, and General Milley has scheduled a call with his Russian counterpart to discuss the incident further. The two countries’ diplomatic efforts aim to prevent further escalation and maintain stability in the region.
