Russian jets again harass U.S. drones over Syria, says U.S. military
NBCJul 03, 2023
The Facts
The US Air Force on Wednesday released video footage it says shows Russian fighter jets flying dangerously close to several unmanned US drones over Syria, forcing them to fly evasive maneuvers.
The Russian military aircraft were "harassing" three US MQ-9 drones on an undisclosed mission against the Islamic State (IS) in Syria, according to Air Force Lt. Gen. Alex Grynkewich, who condemned the Russian pilot's "unsafe and unprofessional" conduct.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
The increasingly hostile actions of Russian pilots indicate growing weakness in the Russian military, which is pulling units out of Syria to redirect them into the Ukraine war. Moscow wants to signal its advantageous position in Syria to Washington and prompt America to withdraw. However, the fact that the US recently redeployed F-22 fighter jets to the Middle East shows that the West will not give in to Russian harassment tactics and will continue to lead the fight against terrorism.
Establishment-critical narrative
While incidents of provocative behavior by Russian pilots are exaggerated in the media, the truth is that drones used by the US-led so-called "anti-terror coalition" are also flying aggressive maneuvers against the Russian military in Syria, thereby violating deconfliction protocols. There are also indications that the US military is training Islamist extremists to destabilize the Assad government.
