The escalating tensions between Russia and the US over drone incidents.
Russian fighter pilots involved in the U.S. drone crash incident were given state awards by Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, signaling Moscow's intention to adopt a more aggressive stance toward future U.S. surveillance flights. The U.S. military said it ditched the Air Force MQ-9 Reaper in the Black Sea on Tuesday after a pair of Russian fighter jets dumped fuel on the surveillance drone and then one of them struck its propeller while it was flying in international airspace. Moscow has denied that its warplanes hit the drone, alleging that it crashed while making a sharp maneuver.