In a recent development, the Russian Defence Ministry reported detecting an American MQ-9 unmanned aerial vehicle on 14 March 2023.
According to an official statement issued by Russia, the drone was found flying over the Black Sea in the vicinity of the Crimean Peninsula, and heading towards the state border of the Russian Federation.
The Russian airspace control systems picked up on the drone’s transponders being switched off, violating the established boundaries of the temporary airspace regime. The said regime was established for a special military operation and was communicated to all users of international airspace in accordance with international standards.
In response to this intrusion, fighter jets of the air defence force on duty were promptly scrambled to identify the intruder. Following quick manoeuvring around 9.30 a.m. (Moscow time), the MQ-9 drone went into an unguided flight and subsequently crashed into the water surface due to a loss of altitude.
It is worth noting that the Russian aircraft did not engage the MQ-9 drone with any onboard weapons and safely returned to their home airfield without any incidents. The incident highlights the delicate nature of airspace surveillance and the need for constant vigilance to avoid such incursions in the future.