Russian Su-35 almost destroyed by French MQ-9 Reaper UAV in Syria
French Defence Minister Sébastien Le Coronneu said that on 2 March, a Russian Su-35 fighter jet carried out dangerous manoeuvres near a French Reaper drone over the Mediterranean Sea. According to him, the Russian aircraft took off from a base in Syria.
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"On Sunday, a Russian SU-35 fighter jet took dangerous actions against a French Reaper drone that was conducting a reconnaissance mission in international airspace over the eastern Mediterranean," Lecorneuil said.
The French minister stressed that three consecutive overflights could have led to the loss of control over the drone and indicate an attempt by Russia to restrict free air traffic.
"These are deliberate, unprofessional and aggressive actions that are unacceptable," Lecornu said.
Dimanche, un avion de chasse SU-35 russe a adopté un comportement dangereux à l'égard d'un drone Reaper français, en mission de surveillance dans l'espace aérien international au dessus de la Méditerranée orientale.
- Sébastien Lecornu (@SebLecornu) 4 March 2025
Trois passages successifs à grande proximité, qui auraient pu... pic.twitter.com/sAmMBNNjyU
France will continue to take measures to defend freedom of navigation in international air and sea spaces.
Similar incidents involving Russian military aircraft have become more frequent. At the end of February, French Rafale fighter jets intercepted two Russian aircraft off the coast of Latvia. In January, a Russian S-400 system targeted a French Atlantique 2 maritime patrol aircraft over the Baltic Sea.
Earlier, Norwegian F-35s intercepted a Russian bomber group in the High North, and in December, the North American Air Defence Command spotted four Russian warplanes in the Alaskan Defence Identification Zone.
Source: X
