Pentagon accuses Russian jets of harassing US drones

The Pentagon has declassified video of what they claim are Russian jets ‘harassing’ American drones flying over Syria, forcing the UAVs to take evasive action. US Central Command put out a statement on Wednesday accusing the Russian jets of ‘unsafe and unprofessional’ interaction with the Reaper drones, which they claim were carrying out a mission against ‘ISIS targets’. ‘Against established norms and protocols, the Russian jets dropped multiple parachute flares in front of the drones, forcing our aircraft to conduct evasive maneuvers,’ Air Forces Central head Lt. Gen. Alex Grynkewich alleged, before urging Russian forces to ‘cease this reckless behavior and adhere to the standards of behavior expected of a professional air force’. This is not the first clash between the respective parties; Moscow and Washington have traded numerous allegations of unsafe flying in recent months, with alleged aerial run-ins thought to be in the dozens this year alone.