Russian Military Considers Potential ‘Response’ to American Drones Flying Above Black Sea

The Russian defense ministry is contemplating how to respond to what it perceives as “provocations” by U.S. drones operating in the Black Sea region.

In a statement on June 28, the ministry mentioned that Defense Minister Andrey Belousov has instructed the General Staff of the Armed Forces to propose a swift reaction to these alleged provocations.

The ministry noted an increase in U.S. drone activity in the area, presumably for reconnaissance purposes to gather information on potential Russian targets.

This heightened activity implies greater U.S. and NATO involvement in the conflict in Ukraine, aligning themselves with the Kyiv regime, raising the risk of clashes between Russian military aircraft and NATO forces.

Past incidents involving U.S. and Russian military aircraft have occurred, like when a Russian Su-27 fighter jet intercepted and damaged an American MQ-9 Reaper drone last year, leading to a crash in the Black Sea.

This event marked the first direct confrontation between Russian and U.S. military forces since the end of the Cold War in 1991.

The U.S. State Department and Department of Defense have not yet responded to the Russian ministry’s statement.

Russia’s defense ministry’s assertions come after a Ukrainian missile attack on Crimea using ATACMS missiles on June 23. This attack led to the deaths of four civilians near Sevastopol’s beach, home to Russia’s Black Sea Fleet.

Moscow has swiftly attributed the incident to the United States, who reportedly supplied Kyiv with the ATACMS missiles used in the attack. Russia’s foreign ministry has also alleged that “American specialists” selected the targets based on U.S. satellite reconnaissance data.

Additionally, Russia claims a U.S. Global Hawk reconnaissance drone was present near Crimea at the time of the missile attack.

The U.S. State Department stated that the casualties were not the intended target, suggesting that a Russian air-defense missile intercepted a Ukrainian missile heading towards a military target in Crimea.

As for the alleged involvement of U.S. specialists in target selection, the U.S. spokesperson stated that Ukraine decides its military targets independently.

Kyiv has made minimal comments on the attack, denying that it targets civilians.

Previous instances of U.S. ATACMS missiles targeting Russian positions in Crimea have been reported, with a similar event in April resulting in no casualties or damage.

The recent missile attack on June 23 has drawn threats of retaliation from Moscow.

Following escalating tensions, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin called for a conversation with his Russian counterpart to emphasize communication and prevent further escalation.

The last communication between the defense chiefs was in March, with Belousov replacing Shoigu in May.

Reuters contributed to this report.