Riling Russia

"It shows an increased involvement of the U.S. and other NATO countries in the conflict in Ukraine on the side of the Kyiv regime."

"Such flights significantly increase the probability of incidents involving Russian military aircraft, which increases the risk of direct confrontation between the alliance and the Russian Federation."

"NATO members will bear responsibility for that."

Russian Defence Ministry

Russia's President Vladimir Putin speaks with Russian media before his departure at the Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi on June 21, 2024. Russia has issued an ominous warning over U.S. spy drones in the Black Sea, vowing that its forces will adopt “rapid response measures” to prevent potential incidents in airspace.  AFP/Getty Images

 

Moscow's 'special military operation' has been extended long beyond the Kremlin's expectations. It is horribly inconvenient that Ukraine stubbornly hangs on to its territory, claiming its sovereign right to do so, as a human and international right recognized by the global community. At least that part of the global community not intimidated by Russian threats; Russia's neighbours in its near-abroad who shudder at the possibility of a 'special military operation' in their own sovereign landscape, and of course NATO-member countries in general who subscribe en masse to the concept of inviolability of state geography.

 

Come to think of it, Russia subscribes to the universal belief that a nation's borders are sacrosanct. At least its own. It also subscribes to peace. Just not when those preferred options interfere with its plans to extend its own sovereignty. Russian President Vladimir Putin feels a special obligation as Russian president-for-life to return to the times of the Soviet Union in his concern over the future of eastern Europe; one for all and most decidedly, all for one.

 

NATO's and most particularly, the United States' interference in Russian affairs is grating and galling. Russia's affairs are Russia's concerns, and Moscow brooks no interference by any outside agencies. In so doing, its expectations are no different than any other self-respecting nation concerned to rescue its neighbours from their flirtation with fascism. Ukrainians are just such ingrates; one would imagine they would express their sincere gratitude to Russia for rescuing them from the neo-Nazi talons of the Ukrainian government...!

 

But there we are -- American drone flights over the Black Sea -- spying, seeking out military intelligence advantages. A situation so obviously inimical to Russia's legitimate handling of the Ukraine situation as to be regarded as a backhanded declaration of war. Which would force Moscow to take 'forceful action' to put a stop to reconnaissance aircraft deployed by the United States. Causing the Russian Defence Ministry to protest the "increased intensity" obviously meant to "conduct intelligence and targeting for precision weapons supplied to the Ukrainian military by Western countries for strikes on Russian facilities." 

Nothing less than intolerable. This is by no means the first and only time that the Americans have transgressed the limits of Moscow's patience. In March of 2023, a Russian Su-27 fighter jet caused damage to an American MQ-9 Reaper drone, crashing it into the Black sea, as the first direct clash since the Cold War between Russian and U.S. forces. The Pentagon and U.S. European Command for their part revealed that two Russian Su-27 aircraft had dumped fuel on the MQ-9 conducting a routine surveillance mission in international air space.

Deliberately ignoring the fact that the U.S. drone had intruded within an area declared off-limits by Russian authorities. The infuriating arrogance of the American military knows no bounds.

A U.S. MQ-9 drone. (Massoud Hossaini / The Associated Press)