The US says a drone that crashed into the Black Sea after encountering two Russian fighter jets would not provide worthless information if Moscow tried to recover the wreckage.
Russian officials say they are trying to find whatever is left. An MQ-9 Reaper shot down on Tuesday.
The head of Russia’s foreign intelligence service, Sergey Naryshkin, said the country has the technical capability to retrieve debris from drones and that they are believed to be off the west coast of Crimea.
Latest Ukraine War: Russia, China, Iran Hold Joint Military Exercises
U.S. officials believe Russia has already sent ships to the region.
At a Pentagon press conference, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman General Mark Milley appeared relaxed about the potential discovery of the $32 million drone.
He said: “We will work to recover it. It is the property of the United States. But it probably fell apart. Frankly, there probably won’t be much to recover.
“We take mitigation measures when it comes to the loss of confidential information and such.
read more:
US drone crash: What do we know about the collision with the Russian jet?
National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said the United States will take “steps to protect information” and “minimize the efforts of others to exploit its drones for useful content.” We will limit it,” he said.
Officials have not disclosed how they will protect the Reapers, but the US military has acknowledged in the past that they can remotely remove classified information from drones and render systems inoperable.
Click to subscribe to Sky News Daily where you can get the podcast
The US said a Russian Su-27 fighter jet dumped a surveillance drone into the sea after pouring fuel and attacking its propeller while flying in international airspace. US authorities are working to declassify surveillance footage from drones to prove this.
Russia has denied responsibility for the accident, making it one of the most serious escalations between the two countries in years.
https://news.sky.com/story/russia-trying-to-recover-crashed-us-drone-after-black-sea-collision-12834922 Russia seeks to recover crashed US drone after Black Sea collision.world news