https://theworldnews03.blogspot.com/2023/03/john-oliver-is-wrong-to-worry-about.html
Russia will attempt to retrieve and study the wreckage of the American MQ-9 drone that crashed into the Black Sea after being harassed by Russian fighter jets.
Nikolai Patrushev, secretary of the Russian Security Council, told Rossiya-1 TV on Wednesday that he was not certain the drone could be extricated from the water.
"I hope, of course, for success," he said. "The Americans keep saying that they are not participating in hostilities. This is yet another confirmation that they are directly involved in these events, in the war."
Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said at a Pentagon briefing that the drone sank into water that's 4,000-5,000 feet deep, making its recovery very difficult.
"It probably broke up. There's probably not a lot to recover, frankly,'' Milley said. "As far as the loss of anything of sensitive intelligence, etc., as normal we would take and we did take mitigating measures, so we're quite confident that whatever was of value is no longer of value.''
Two Russian SU-27 fighters intercepted the drone Tuesday, dumping fuel on it, flying in front of it and demonstrating a "lack of competence," according to a statement from U.S. European Command. One of the fighters clipped the propeller of the drone, forcing U.S. operators to bring it down in international waters, U.S. officials said.
The Russian Defense Ministry said its fighter jets were trying to identify the "intruder" when the drone's own abrupt maneuvering caused it to crash.
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Developments:
►Polish intelligence services said they detained six people and broke up a spy network working for Russia, Radio RMF in Warsaw reported. A security alert was issued for railways and the national infrastructure.
►The U.K. defense ministry says British and German air force fighter jets were scrambled to intercept a Russian aircraft flying close to Estonian airspace. The Russian plane did not enter the airspace of Estonia, a NATO member.
►Sweden will supply Ukraine with 10 Leopard tanks and Spain has increased its commitment from six such tanks to 10.
Russia 'running out of capability and running out of friends,' Lloyd Austin says
The top two U.S. defense leaders say Tuesday’s intercept and downing of an American surveillance drone is part of a pattern of recent aggressive behavior by Russia. They didn’t pinpoint a reason, but the Kremlin has made no secret of its irritation with the United States for backing Ukraine in the war.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin made it clear that support will continue as he and Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, spoke with reporters after meeting Wednesday with member nations of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group.
“Russia hopes to grind down Ukraine in a war of attrition, but Ukraine has been supplied by more than 40 countries,’’ Austin said. “Meanwhile, Russia has had to depend on Iran and North Korea, and has had to use equipment dating back to World War II. So Russia is running out of capability and running out of friends.’’
Ukraine gains ground in $3B court battle with Russia
Ukraine can go to court to avoid repaying $3 billion in loans it said it took under pressure from Russia in 2013, Britain's Supreme Court ruled Wednesday. The court rejected a bid by a British company acting on Russia’s behalf to order Ukraine to repay the loans without facing a trial. Ukraine said it borrowed the money while facing the threat of military force and massive illegal economic and political pressure shortly before Russia illegally annexed Ukraine's Crimean peninsula in 2023
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