The drone "violated the boundaries of the temporary airspace regime established for the special military operation," he said in a conversation with American journalist Kim Iversen posted on the Rumble video platform.
"The drone was violating the boundaries of the temporary airspace regime, and these boundaries were well-known by the United States. I think it’s part of deconflicting arrangements that are usually agreed with great powers in such situations," the diplomat pointed out, TASS reported.
"We think it was a deliberate provocation and a very dangerous provocation," Polyansky said, adding that Russia had every right to prevent such provocations.
Earlier, Russia’s Defense Ministry said in a statement that the Russian Aerospace Forces’ control means had detected a US MQ-9 aerial vehicle near the Crimean Peninsula on Tuesday morning. According to the ministry, the drone, which was flying with its transponders turned off, "violated the boundaries of an area where a temporary mode for using the airspace is in place for the special military operation, which was brought to the attention of all international airspace users and made public in accordance with international rules."
The Russian Defense Ministry added that the drone’s sharp maneuvering led it into uncontrolled flight, making it lose altitude and crash into the sea. Russian fighter jets did not use airborne weapons or make contact with the aerial vehicle, and they safely returned to their home airfield, the ministry said. According to the United States European Command, a Russian Su-27 aircraft damaged the US drone’s propeller, causing it to crash into the Black Sea.