Russia has scrambled fighter jets to prevent MQ-9 Reaper and TB2 Bayraktar drones from crossing into Russian airspace when they were engaged in reconnaissance near the Crimean peninsula, the Defense Ministry said on Tuesday.
"On August 22, two unmanned aerial vehicles, MQ-9 Reaper and TB2 Bayraktar, that were carrying out aerial reconnaissance in the area of the Crimean peninsula were detected over the Black Sea by means of the airspace control of the Russian aerospace forces. In order to prevent a possible violation of Russia’s state border and counteract the conduct of electronic intelligence by drones, two Russian fighters from the air defense forces on duty were scrambled," the ministry said in a statement.