MOSCOW. March 17 (Interfax) - Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has nominated for state awards the pilots of Sukhoi Su-27 fighter jets who followed a U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drone over the Black Sea, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement.
"Russian Defense Minister Gen. of the Army Sergei Shoigu has nominated for state awards the pilots of Su-27 jets who prevented the U.S. MQ-9 unmanned aerial vehicle from trespassing the zone of temporary airspace restrictions imposed in connection with the special military operation," the statement said.
The zone boundaries were relayed to all users of international airspace and published consistent with international regulations, it said.
The United States European Command said on March 14 that the U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drone fell into the Black Sea after colliding with a Russian Su-27 fighter jet.
The Russian Defense Ministry said later on March 14 that the Russian fighter jets did not engage the U.S. drone above the Black Sea, and the drone crashed as a result of abrupt maneuvering.
"The Russian fighter jets did not use their weapons, did not contact the unmanned aerial vehicle, and safely returned to base," it said.
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin discussed the situation in detail on March 15. "The focus was on an exchange of opinions over the reasons and consequences of the incident," the Russian Defense Ministry said.
"Sergei Shoigu said that the incident occurred because the U.S. failed to comply with the flight restrictions set by the Russian Federation for certain areas in connection with the special military operation, as well as because of an intensification of intelligence activities against the interests of the Russian Federation," the ministry said.
The Russian Defense Ministry said on March 16 that Chief of the Russian Armed Forces General Staff Valery Gerasimov had a phone call with Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley.