The drone that the US army stated was compelled down over the Black Sea by a Russian fighter jet has not been recovered — and it might by no means be, in keeping with John Kirby, coordinator for strategic communications on the Nationwide Safety Council.
“I am unsure that we’ll be capable to get better it. I imply, the place it fell into the Black Sea, very, very deep water. We’re nonetheless assessing whether or not there will be any restoration effort mounted. There is probably not,” Kirby instructed CNN.
“We did the very best we may to reduce any intelligence worth that may come from any person else getting their palms on that drone,” he added.
When pressed additional, Kirby stated, “I actually cannot converse for Russian efforts or what they might or is probably not attempting to take off the floor of the water. I can simply inform you that we’re nonetheless assessing that scenario ourselves.”
One of many Russian jets deliberately flew in entrance of and dumped gasoline on the unmanned drone a number of instances, a press release from US European Command stated. The plane then hit the propeller of the drone, prompting US forces to carry the MQ-9 drone down in worldwide waters.
Kirby reiterated it’s “not unusual” for Russian jets to attempt to intercept or harass US drones.
The Russian Ministry of Protection has denied the Russian jet had come into contact with the drone in a press release on Tuesday, saying the fighter jets “scrambled to determine the intruder” after detecting it over the Black Sea, including that the drone “went into an unguided flight with a lack of altitude.”
Kirby stated on Wednesday morning: “To begin with, they do not belong in Ukraine. Secondly, they actually do not belong in Crimea. And we had been flying, once more, properly outdoors of the airspace that was, that is claimed by Ukraine or every other nation. The Black Sea does not belong to Russia. … We will proceed to function, once more, in full in accordance with worldwide regulation.”