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A Russian Su-35 fighter jet engaged in a dangerous provocation against a French Reaper drone over the Mediterranean Sea on March 2, French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu reported on March 4.
"The Russian Su-35 fighter jet behaved dangerously toward the French Reaper drone... Three consecutive approaches could have led to the loss of control of the drone," Lecornu posted on X.
The incident occurred on March 2 while the French drone was conducting an observation mission in the eastern Mediterranean.
Dimanche, un avion de chasse SU-35 russe a adopté un comportement dangereux à l’égard d’un drone Reaper français, en mission de surveillance dans l’espace aérien international au dessus de la Méditerranée orientale.
Trois passages successifs à grande proximité, qui auraient pu… pic.twitter.com/sAmMBNNjyU
Lecornu condemned the maneuver as "intentional, unprofessional, and aggressive," calling it unacceptable.
"France will continue to take measures to protect freedom of navigation in international air and sea space," he said.
This is not the first such incident involving Russian military aircraft. A Russian fighter jet forced down an American MQ-9 Reaper drone over the Black Sea on March 14, 2023.
In December, two Dutch F-35 fighter jets intercepted Russian aircraft over the Baltic Sea, according to the Netherlands Defense Ministry.
Russian military aircraft frequently operate without transponders or flight plans over the Baltic and Black Seas, maneuvers often seen as testing NATO's response capabilities.
Ukraine strikes Russian military facility in Kursk Oblast, kills up to 30 troops, General Staff reports
The facility was reportedly used for planning attacks, including launching first-person-view (FPV) drones at Ukrainian positions. The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify these claims.
The Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy
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