Natalia Chi
While Russia may have actively and deliberately forced US surveillance drones to dump into the Black Sea, these moves do not constitute acts of war and do not deter missions, as future drones It does not lead to US military escorts in flight. White House national security spokesman John Kirby told CBS News.
“This was a deliberate, aggressive, overly aggressive move by this pilot,” Kirby told CBS News on this week’s episode of “Takeout.”
Susan Walsh/AP
Kirby spoke shortly after the Pentagon released a video of the Russian pilot’s efforts. Bombard a drone with aviation fuel and cause it to collide in the airThe video confirms the Pentagon’s account of the incident and refutes Russia’s claim that the drone was flying in an unstable manner.
“What’s unclear in the video is whether the pilot intended to attack the drone or whether the flight simply went wrong,” Kirby said. “I wouldn’t call it an act of war.” I think it was unsafe it was unprofessional but look no one has seen this war escalate between the US and Russia to become a war between the US and Russia I don’t want to. Russia.”
Kirby said that even if the Russians recovered the MQ-9 Reaper drone from the Black Sea, it would bring little value.
“They’re not going to find anything of intrinsic value, I can assure you that,” Kirby said. We have taken steps, whatever is left on the surface… could be wing fragments or fuselage.I doubt it is of any value to anyone.As for the information…we are concerned Not they’re trying to get anything of value. The waters of the Black Sea they’re in are 4,000 to 5,000 feet deep. Whatever the value, the drone hardware is submerged. Anything like that could be recovered.”
Kirby also dismissed the idea of escorting surveillance drones in international airspace near the Black Sea and Ukraine. Kirby said the drones collect critical information about Russian activity in and around Ukraine and share it with the Ukrainian military.
“We put the pilots there to escort the drones … there’s a bit of redundancy there,” Kirby said. Why? There are greater risks for the pilots and the potential for escalation may be more widespread.These flights are critical to national security interests.They intend to continue.”
Kirby also welcomed Poland’s decision to send at least four and possibly up to ten MiG-29 fighters to Ukraine.
“It’s no surprise,” Kirby said. The additional air capabilities that the MiGs can provide…you can’t underestimate it, it will help them.”
However, Kirby said Poland’s decision would not affect US policy regarding the deployment of F-16 fighter jets.
“He’s not thinking about the F-16 right now,” Kirby said, referring to President Biden. “We don’t think it’s a decision that has to be made or should be made now.” Analyze what you need.
“Looking ahead to the next few weeks, the kind of fighting that Ukrainians believe they will be in is fighting in open terrain,” he told CBS News. This is what the ministry calls combined arms combat capability, combined arms maneuver.”
Kirby said the United States had no knowledge of who blew up part of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline and was waiting for a European inquiry into the matter, stressing that the United States was not involved.
“I don’t know who did it,” Kirby said. “We have three investigations underway by our three European partners. We are not going to pre-empt what they have found. But I can assure you that the United States was not involved.”
Kirby also said the White House’s procedures have not changed to handle classified documents following the discovery of classified documents in the possession of former President Trump, Biden and former Vice President Pence. rice field.
“Same procedure,” said Kirby. “They have been tried and worn and understood by everyone who works in the National Security Council and the White House. No. They are procedures for government-wide use and need not be reconsidered.”
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Major Garrett
