US, Russia race to recover downed drone

KARAH RUCKER: AN UPDATE TO A STORY WE BROUGHT YOU YESTERDAY AFTER A RUSSIAN JET COLLIDED WITH A U.S. DRONE OVER THE BLACK SEA. NOW, IT’S A RACE BETWEEN THE U.S. AND RUSSIA TO RECOVER DEBRIS FROM THE DRONE. 

TODAY, RUSSIA ANNOUNCED OPERATIONS ARE UNDERWAY TO RETRIEVE THE DOWNED U.S. DRONE. U.S. OFFICIALS SAID A RUSSIAN FIGHTER JET CLIPPED THE DRONE’S PROPELLER, LEADING TO THE CRASH – WHILE RUSSIA HAS DENIED THOSE REPORTS AND ANY RESPONSIBILITY. CLAIMING THE U.S. WAS CONDUCTING SURVEILLANCE NEAR RUSSIA’S AIRSPACE TO HELP UKRAINE IN THE WAR.

THE KREMLIN GAVE THE U.S. A STARK WARNING – THE UNITED STATES IS TO CEASE WHAT RUSSIA IS CALLING ‘HOSTILE’ ACTIVITY NEAR ITS BORDERS. RUSSIA’S AMBASSADOR TO THE U.S. SAID ANY ACTIONS INVOLVING AMERICAN WEAPONS OR MILITARY EQUIPMENT WOULD BE PERCEIVED AS “OPENLY HOSTILE”. 

NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL SPOKESPERSON JOHN KIRBY SAID THE U.S. IS ALREADY ON THE MOVE TO PROTECT ITS EQUITIES BY RECOVERING THE DRONE. KIRBY SAID THE U.S. DOES NOT WANT RUSSIA GETTING THEIR HANDS ON UNITED STATES PROPERTY.