United States and Russia Tussle Over Downed Drone
Video footage shows a confrontation between a Russian jet and an American drone. Photo: US European Command / American Legion
On March 12, an American MQ-9 Reaper drone crashed into the Black Sea after an apparent confrontation with Russian Air Force jets. American military commanders were quick to deem the crash the result of “unsafe and unprofessional” flying from Russian Su-27 fighter jets.
The downing is part of the larger Russian-backed war in Ukraine, which was illegally launched in February, 2022. The escalation of the war over the past year has already led to major international consequences and economic sanctions being placed on Russia. Now, Russian action against the American MQ-9 drone raises the stakes further, but experts remain skeptical about an intensification of a broader Russian-American conflict.
The United States and Russia have presented drastically different perspectives on the downing of the drone. The US European Command claims that two Russian Su-27 fighter jets approached the American MQ-9 drone in international airspace over the Black Sea while the drone was “conducting routine operations in international airspace.”
American commanders stated that the Russian jets released fuel onto the drone, which spilled into the Black Sea below, creating an environmental hazard. A Russian jet eventually collided directly with the drone’s propellor, causing the total loss of the drone. The jet was also damaged in the impact, but American forces were able to track the Russian jet to an air strip. Video footage released from the drone appears to confirm the American position.
While the United States maintains that the drone was operating in international airspace, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that the drone’s goals were “not at all a peaceful mission to ensure the safety of shipping in international waters.”
Peskov went on to claim that the drone was being used directly against Russia and that American drone operators were therefore also directly acting against Russia. The Russian Defense Ministry also relayed that the drone had entered into restricted air space as part of Russia’s “special military operation” against Ukraine.
“Special military operation” is the terminology used by Russia to avoid claiming that the conflict is actually a “war.” But according to the 1949 Geneva Conventions, the “special military operation” is still a war under international law. Restricting the airspace around Ukraine violates the Convention on International Civil Aviation, as Black Sea airspace falls outside the territorial claims of both Ukraine and Russia.
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and US Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley speak at a press conference on March 15, 2023. Photo: Evelyn Hockstein / Reuters
The question of international law is key to the downing of the American drone. The United States maintains that the drone was operating in international airspace, and US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin informed Russian Minister of Defense Sergei Shoigu that “the United States will continue to fly and to operate wherever international law allows.” International law is also at the center of the recent arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin issued by the International Criminal Court.
While tensions between the US and Russia remain high, both sides have taken a more reconciliatory tone regarding the drone crash. Russian ambassador to the US Anatoly Antonov stated that diplomatic tensions did not boil over after he was summoned to the Department of State, and Secretary Austin expressed a desire to avoid escalation over the drone. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley declared “we do not seek armed conflict with Russia.”
The Russian Defense Ministry awarded the two Su-27 pilots with state honors for their role in the downing of the drone. Both the US and Russia have now focused on the recovery of the drone. While the US has already taken measures to reduce the potential knowledge that could be gained from the drone, it remains unclear whether the drone will be recovered by Russia. Russian ships have been forced to temporarily abandon their recovery attempts due to storms in the Black Sea.