Moment Russian fighter jet fires explosive flares at US drone as war fears mount
This is the moment a Russian fighter jet fired flares and struck another US drone over Syrian airspace.
The White House announced the attack as Russia ramps up its string of harassing maneuvers that have ratcheted up tensions between the global powers.
It's the sixth reported incident this month, and the second in the past 24 hours, in which the United States has said Russian warplanes have flown dangerously close to American manned and unmanned aircraft, putting crews and the planes at risk and raising questions as to what the US may need to do in response.
A camera underneath the American MQ-9 Reaper drone captured the Russian jet's arrival (AP)Two American officials confirmed that the strike damaged the MQ-9 Reaper drone. The officials were not authorised to publicly discuss the matter and spoke on condition of anonymity.
"We've seen the reports, the early reports, of a second Russian fighter aircraft this week flying dangerously close to our drone" on a mission to counter Islamic State militants in Syria, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said. She did not provide other details, but said Russia's "close approach to and deployment of flares over US drones during a routine mission" violates international norms.
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In the incidents over the past two days, Russian warplanes have fired flares that struck Reaper drones. On Tuesday, the flares damaged a drone's propeller; on Wednesday, Russian-dropped flares hit a drone.
A senior Russian military leader blamed Washington for the latest incident, and claimed that aircraft from the US-led coalition in Syria violated anti-conflict protocols with Russia 10 times in the past 24 hours.
The Russian fighter is seen launching flares at the drone in an act of provocation (AP)Rear Admiral Oleg Gurinov, the head of the Russian military's Reconciliation Center in Syria, said that the US drone flew dangerously close to a pair of Russian warplanes in the skies over Syria early Wednesday. Gurinov said that onboard systems of the Russian Su-34 and Su-35 aircraft spotted the aircraft being targeted and triggered the automatic release of flares.
"The United States are continuing to disinform the public about unlawful flights of its drones in the Syrian air space that have failed to undergo deconflicting procedure while accusing the Russian side of dangerous maneuvering," Gurinov said in a statement.
He said Russian pilots "showed a high degree of professionalism and took timely steps to avoid a collision with the drone."
US and Russian military commanders routinely communicate over a deconfliction phone line that has been in place for several years to avoid unintended clashes in Syria. There are often many calls a day, and at times result in angry threats as commanders argue over an ongoing operation, according to a senior US official.
Experts say Russia is likely conducting the harassing attacks to support Iran's goal of ousting US forces from Syria, with a senior American defence official saying Iran wants to be able to more easily move lethal aid to Lebanese Hezbollah and threaten Israel. Russia relies on Iran's support for the Kremlin's war operations in Ukraine.
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