The US is taking measures to make sure the drone that was downed over the Black Sea will not fall into the improper fingers, a high White Home official stated Tuesday.
“With out entering into an excessive amount of element, what I can say is that we have taken steps to guard our equities with respect to that individual drone — that individual plane. And it’s the US property. We clearly do not need to see anyone getting their fingers on it past us,” John Kirby, Nationwide Safety Council coordinator for strategic communications, informed CNN’s Jake Tapper on Tuesday.
Pressed on whether or not the US would present proof to again its account of what occurred – given Russia’s denial — Kirby famous the US is “ some imagery to see if any of that is likely to be appropriate” for public launch, however stated no choices have been made presently.
He additionally dismissed the denial issued by Russia’s protection ministry.
“Clearly we refute the Russians’ denial and I feel anyone, after a yr now, Jake, ought to take every little thing that the Russians say about what they’re doing in and round Ukraine with an enormous grain of salt,” he stated.
Kirby pointed to the summoning of Russia’s Ambassador to the US Anatoly Antonov to the State Division as “one of many benefits of getting diplomatic strains open,” saying that within the assembly, US officers walked the ambassador “by way of the very vital and really actual issues over this unsafe and unprofessional conduct by Russian pilots.”
He reiterated his condemnation of the incident, warning of rapid and broader implications.
“We actually don’t need to see this battle escalate past what it has already carried out to the Ukrainian folks,” Kirby stated, calling it “inappropriate, unsafe, unprofessional conduct by the Russian pilots.”