Russia

Russian Leadership Approved Aggressive Actions of Jets That Damaged U.S. Drone, U.S. Officials Say

The Russian jets dropped jet fuel on the MQ-9 Reaper, an unprecedented action

File - An MQ-9 Reaper drone on Nov. 4, 2022 at Fort Huachuca, Arizona.
John Moore/Getty Images

Three U.S. officials familiar with the intelligence said the highest levels of the Kremlin approved the aggressive actions of Russian military fighter jets against a U.S. military drone over the Black Sea Tuesday. 

The Russian jets dropped jet fuel on the MQ-9 Reaper, an unprecedented action, and two of the officials said the intelligence suggests the intent seemed to be to throw the drone off course or disable its surveillance capabilities. 

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It was “Russian leadership’s intention to be aggressive in the intercept,” said one of the officials.

President Biden marked one year since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine with a speech during a visit to Poland.

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