In what appeared to be an attempt at intimidation, a Russian supermaneuverable Su-35 fighter jet came close repeatedly to a French MQ-9 Reaper drone in the international airspace over the eastern Mediterranean.
The drone was on a surveillance mission when the Russian jet came "dangerously towards" it.
MQ-9 Reaper, developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, is an intelligence-collection asset, which can also used for surveillance and reconnaissance, close air support, combat search and rescue, precision strike, route clearance, target development, and terminal air guidance. The French Air and Space Force has been operating MQ-9 Reapers since 2014, primarily for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions.
"Three successive passes in close proximity, which could have caused the drone to lose control, attesting to a desire to restrict free air movement in common areas," France's Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu said in a tweet, calling the actions "aggressive" and "unacceptable."
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) March 4, 2025
Trois passages successifs à grande proximité, qui auraient pu… pic.twitter.com/sAmMBNNjyU
The minister posted a video of the same on X, saying “France will continue to act to defend freedom of navigation in international air and maritime spaces.” He did not specify where exactly in the eastern Mediterranean the incidents took place.
According to the French Joint Chiefs of Staff, Russia's dangerous manoeuvres with the fighter jet were "unsafe and unprofessional."
One 🇷🇺 SU 35 conducted an unsafe and unprofessionnal intercept w/a 🇫🇷 unmanned MQ9 operating w/i international airspace over the Eastern Mediterranean March 2nd. pic.twitter.com/7HzyoheKgm
— The 🇫🇷 Joint Staff - Military operations (@FrenchForces) March 4, 2025
The incident comes even as the European Union leadership decided to “massively step up their support to Ukraine” in the war against Russia after the US announced its decision to suspend all military aid to Ukraine.
Unveiling a plan to raise nearly €800 billion to boost Europe’s defence industry and offer military support to Ukraine, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen said, "It will help member states to pool demand and to buy together. This will reduce costs, reduce fragmentation, increase interoperability and strengthen our defence industrial base....With this equipment, member states can massively step up their support to Ukraine. So, immediate military equipment for Ukraine."
