TEXT FROM US AIR FORCE/US DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Russian SU35 fighter aircraft close in on U.S. MQ9 aircraft on July 5, 2023 over on July 5, 2023 over Syria.

The Russian SU35 fighter aircraft employed parachute flares in the flight path of U.S. MQ9 aircraft. Against established norms and protocols,

this forced U.S. aircraft to conduct evasive maneuvers. Additionally, one Russian pilot positioned their aircraft in front of an MQ9 and engaged afterburner, dynamically increasing speed and air pressure, which reduced the MQ9 operator’s ability to safely operate the aircraft.

These events represent a new level of unprofessional and unsafe action by Russian air forces operating in Syria.