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US, Russia Clash in First Direct Encounter Since Ukraine Invasion
(MENAFN) On Tuesday, the US military reported that a Russian fighter plane had clipped the propeller of one of its spy drones, causing it to crash into the Black Sea. This is the first direct encounter between the two world powers since Russia's invasion of Ukraine over a year ago. However, the Russian defense ministry has offered a different account, with Moscow's ambassador to Washington labeling the incident a US "provocation" involving an MQ-9 drone and Russian Su-27 fighter jet.
The United States has not become directly involved in the Ukraine war, but it has provided Ukraine with tens of billions of dollars in military aid and conducts regular surveillance flights in the region. While the two countries have been at odds since Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, tensions have increased over the past year, with Russia amassing troops along Ukraine's border and in Crimea.
In response to the incident, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Tuesday night that military commanders were unanimous in their decision to defend the eastern frontline, including the besieged city of Bakhmut. "There was a clear position of the entire command: Strengthen this sector and destroy the occupiers to the maximum," Zelensky said in a video address.
The situation in Ukraine has also had economic implications, with talks continuing to extend a deal allowing grain shipments from Ukraine's Black Sea ports, set to expire this week. The United Nations and Turkiye are leading the negotiations, but the Kyiv government has rejected a Russian push for a 60-day renewal, arguing that it should be as long as the previous extension.
Despite the Russian denial of responsibility for the drone crash, the US military has described the intercept as "reckless" and accused the Russian fighter jets of dumping fuel on the MQ-9 drone in an attempt to blind or damage it. The incident highlights the escalating tensions between the two powers and the continuing conflict in Ukraine, which has claimed thousands of lives since 2014.
The United States has not become directly involved in the Ukraine war, but it has provided Ukraine with tens of billions of dollars in military aid and conducts regular surveillance flights in the region. While the two countries have been at odds since Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, tensions have increased over the past year, with Russia amassing troops along Ukraine's border and in Crimea.
In response to the incident, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Tuesday night that military commanders were unanimous in their decision to defend the eastern frontline, including the besieged city of Bakhmut. "There was a clear position of the entire command: Strengthen this sector and destroy the occupiers to the maximum," Zelensky said in a video address.
The situation in Ukraine has also had economic implications, with talks continuing to extend a deal allowing grain shipments from Ukraine's Black Sea ports, set to expire this week. The United Nations and Turkiye are leading the negotiations, but the Kyiv government has rejected a Russian push for a 60-day renewal, arguing that it should be as long as the previous extension.
Despite the Russian denial of responsibility for the drone crash, the US military has described the intercept as "reckless" and accused the Russian fighter jets of dumping fuel on the MQ-9 drone in an attempt to blind or damage it. The incident highlights the escalating tensions between the two powers and the continuing conflict in Ukraine, which has claimed thousands of lives since 2014.
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