Russian Jets Harass U.S. Drones During Mission Against Islamic State in Syria

The U.S. Air Force said Wednesday that three Russian fighter jets harassed three American drones during a mission against Islamic State targets in Syria.

The Air Force described Russia’s actions as unprovoked, unprofessional, and reckless.

According to U.S. 9th Air Force Commander Lt. Gen. Alex Grynkewich, the Russian Su-35 fighters dropped flares in front of the MQ-9 Reaper drones, disrupting their flight path and forcing them to take evasive maneuvers. One Russian pilot flew in front of a U.S. drone and lit up his afterburners, blasting the drone with heat and turbulence.

“We urge Russian forces in Syria to cease this reckless behavior and adhere to the standards of behavior expected of a professional air force so we can resume our focus on the enduring defeat of ISIS,” Grynkewich said.

Grynkewich noted the actions of the Russian pilots violate “established norms and protocols” and “threaten the safety of both U.S. and Russian forces.” He did not provide any details on the mission the three drones were attempting when the Russian jets intercepted them or if the drones were able to complete that mission.

The U.S. quickly declassified and posted drone camera video of the encounter, much as it did in March after Russian pilots harassed an MQ-9 drone over the Black Sea, causing it to crash.

The declassified video of the Wednesday encounter incorporated videos taken from multiple cameras on all three drones:

Regarding Russia's unprofessional behavior while reacting with U.S. aircraft over Syria, please see the video of today's encounter.
For the full statement by Lt. Gen. Alex Grynkewich, Commander, 9th AF (AFCENT) visithttps://t.co/WKDYPiPT96@CENTCOM @DeptofDefense @usairforce pic.twitter.com/nmSSBxUojO

— US AFCENT (@USAFCENT) July 5, 2023

The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced in June that it would deploy F-22 Raptor fighters to the Middle East to deter increasingly frequent Russian flights over U.S. bases in Syria.

“Russian Forces’ unsafe and unprofessional behavior is not what we expect from a professional air force. Their regular violation of agreed upon airspace deconfliction measures increases the risk of escalation or miscalculation,” CENTCOM chief Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla said when announcing the F-22 deployment. “Alongside our partners and allies, we are committed to improving the security and stability in the region.” 

Kurilla reaffirmed Thursday that Russia’s “regular violation of agreed upon airspace deconfliction measures increases the risk of escalation or miscalculation.”