The Russian Defense Ministry announced that two fighter pilots involved in shooting down a US surveillance drone that crashed into the Black Sea have received state awards, while the US has resumed its spy flights in the area.

On Friday, Russia's Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu presented the Su-27 jet fighter pilots with awards and praised their accomplishment in preventing the drone from entering an area near Crimea, which Moscow has prohibited access to.

Popular Russian political analyst, Sergei Markov said the awards for the pilots were “a clear sign that Russia will keep downing” US drones.

“This decision will receive a strong support from the Russian society that wants the government to toughen its policy,” Markov said in one of his updates.

Hotice085:


U
America just resume drone flight over the black sea and what can the Russian do

Hotice085:


U
America just resume drone flight over the black sea and what can the Russian do

Uptownerd:


Nah, they're just doing what they are told now and avoiding Russian airspace by more than 100meters as expected.

b4ball:

It’s actually now 150km distance in international air space from the Crimean airspace. Dem force them get sense by force! You think it’s China where they always shout freedom of navigation! That unmanned airframe actually costs $32m; more expensive than most modern 4++ jet fighters.