The acquisition of these drones is scheduled to come up for discussion during an important high-level meeting of the defence ministry on Thursday, defence sources told ANI here.
Russia will continue to respond proportionately to all provocations similar to the flight of US drones near the Russian border, Russian Defence Minister Sergey Shoigu said.
"So make no mistake, the United States will continue to fly and to operate wherever international law allows. And it is incumbent upon Russia to operate as military aircraft in a safe and professional manner," United States Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said.
The Russian Defence Ministry on Wednesday said that US drone MQ-9 unmanned aerial vehicle detected flying over the Black Sea near the Crimean Peninsula violated the boundaries of the area of the temporary airspace regime established during the special operation.
On Tuesday, a Russian fighter jet forced down a US Air Force drone over the Black Sea on Tuesday after damaging the propeller of the American MQ-9 Reaper drone, according to American forces.
A US defence official told Fox News that a Russian Su-27 jet collided with a U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drone over the Black Sea Tuesday. It was one of two Su-27s flying. This happened in international airspace over international waters. The propeller to the drone was damaged and the drone landed in t