- Russian fighter jets bullied a US military drone over Syria on Thursday, the Air Force said.
- Moscow’s pilots have now harassed at least six NATO aircraft since Wednesday morning.
- It’s the latest example of what officials say is a trend of “unsafe and unprofessional behavior.”
Russian fighter jets performed aggressive maneuvers around several NATO aircraft operating above Syria on Thursday, the US military said, in the latest example of what officials say is a trend of “unsafe and unprofessional behavior” by Moscow’s pilots in the region.
An unspecified number of US military MQ-9 Reaper drones were carrying out a mission against the Islamic State at 9:30 a.m. local time on Thursday when they were approached by Russian Su-34 and Su-35 fighter jets, Lt. Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, the commander of US Air Forces Central Command (AFCENT), said in a statement.
The Russian pilots employed flares in front of the Reaper drones and flew “dangerously close, endangering the safety of all aircraft involved,” Grynkewich said. An unclassified US Air Force video shows the Russian jets bombard one of the MQ-9s with flares as it soars above the drone.
And Russian harassment on Thursday was not limited to the American drones. Two French Dassault Rafale fighters were conducting a security mission near the Iraq-Syria border when the aircraft were forced to maneuver “to avoid a non-professional interaction” from a Russian Su-35 jet, according to US Central Command. The US Air Force said in response to the incident that it “fully” supports French security missions across the region.
It’s not immediately clear when, exactly, the Russian Su-35 engaged with the French aircraft on Thursday, but since Wednesday morning local time, Moscow’s pilots have performed aggressive actions in close proximity to at least six NATO aircraft operating around Syria.
At around 10:40 a.m. local time on Wednesday, a trio of US Reaper drones were harassed by three Russian fighter jets while the American aircraft were carrying out a mission against Islamic State targets.
During this interaction, Moscow’s pilots dropped multiple parachute flares in front of the Reapers, and one even positioned their aircraft right in front of an MQ-9 and engaged afterburner, which reduced the operator’s ability to fly the drone.
“These events represent another example of unprofessional and unsafe actions by Russian air forces operating in Syria, which threaten the safety of both Coalition and Russian forces,” Grynkewich said in the Thursday statement. “We urge Russian forces in Syria to cease this reckless behavior and adhere to the standards of behavior expected of a professional air force so we can resume our focus on the enduring defeat of ISIS.”
In recent months, US officials have increasingly warned of dangerous actions by Russian pilots around American interests across the Middle East, particularly in Syria, where Washington has deployed several hundred troops to combat the ISIS.
The US military announced last month that it had dispatched a squadron of F-22 Raptors to the Middle East as a means of deterrence and a show of force against Moscow, although officials have said that the main mission of the aircraft is to conduct operations against ISIS.
“The US Air Forces Central remains committed to ensuring the safety and security of its personnel and assets and continues to work closely with partners and allies to address these incidents and prevent any escalation of tensions in the region,” Grynkewich said. “The safety of military personnel and the success of the mission against ISIS depend on the professional and responsible conduct of all forces operating in the region.”
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