MOSCOW. March 16 (Interfax) - Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said during a phone conversation with U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin that flights of U.S. strategic unmanned aerial vehicles off Crimea's coast could lead to an escalation of the situation in the Black Sea region.
"It was noted that flights of American strategic unmanned aerial vehicles off the coast of Crimea are provocative in nature, which creates prerequisites for an escalation of the situation in the Black Sea area," the Russian Defense Ministry said.
"The Russian Federation is not interested in such developments but will react to all provocations accordingly in the future," it said.