Russia Warns of Retaliation If US Continues Drone Flights over Black Sea
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov warned of retaliation from Moscow if the US continues its drone flights over the Black Sea.
"We warn them against trying to play on our nerves, testing our patience," Ryabkov told reporters. His comments come after the Russian defense ministry reported last week that a US MQ-9 drone fell in the Black Sea after engaging in sharp maneuvering.
"It is not the depths at which the wreckage of the drone is located that is important, but that it was in the zone where we introduced a special regime related to the conduct of the military operation. The Americans defiantly, cynically, clearly, publicly deny the legality of such steps, declare their intention to continue their activities of this kind. They, as they say, run into against our countermeasures in this case. We warn them against trying to play on our nerves, testing our patience," Sputnik reported, citing Ryabkov.
Last week, the Russian defense ministry said a US MQ-9 drone fell in the Black Sea after engaging in sharp maneuvering, noting that Russian fighter jets sent to intercept it did not come into contact with it nor used weapons against it. The ministry said the air control of the Russian Aerospace Forces recorded the flight of the drone in the region of the Crimean peninsula in the direction of the Russian border. The US European Command, in turn, said that the incident that resulted in the complete loss of the drone involved a Russian Su-27 aircraft, which allegedly struck the drone's propeller during an "unsafe and unprofessional intercept" over the Black Sea.
The deputy foreign minister added that Russia calls on the United States not to follow the path of escalation, commenting on US congressmen's call for cluster munitions' supply to Kiev.
A group of Republican lawmakers on Tuesday sent a letter to US President Joe Biden, urging him to send cluster munitions to Ukraine for use against Russia.
"We urge the US side not to follow the path of escalation. I am not now taking up the question of how acceptable the use of cluster munitions is in an armed conflict," Ryabkov told reporters.
The United States, in fact, every day, demonstrates the will to move along the path of escalation, the diplomat said, adding that the danger of such a course is obvious to Moscow.
US congressmen calling for the supply of cluster munitions to Kiev do not realize what consequences for the attackers could be, he said.
Meanwhile, the high-ranking diplomat stressed that Moscow does everything for detente. Clauses in the joint Russian-Chinese statement following the talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping regarding the inadmissibility of nuclear war and the deployment of nuclear weapons outside the national territory are a direct signal to the United States, Ryabkov said on Wednesday.
"I cannot but draw your attention to the fact that the documents signed as a result of this visit contain the most important statement regarding the inadmissibility of nuclear war, including the inadmissibility of deploying nuclear weapons outside the national territory. This is a direct signal addressed to the United States," Ryabkov told reporters.
Thus, the leaders urge strategic adversaries to follow the path of de-escalation, stabilization of the situation, return to dialogue, search for a balance of interests and strengthening of strategic stability, the diplomat added.
He also mentioned the fact that Putin and Xi discussed arms control.
"I proceed from the fact that the whole range of issues related to international security has been considered," Ryabkov said