Russian forces threaten to shoot down French NATO plane in Crimea, reviving Cold War tensions
Military spokesman Col. Pierre Gaudilliere reported that the dangerous incident occurred in mid-November.
According to the Russian air traffic control system, one of the airborne warning and control system (AWACS) observation aircraft, one of four patrolling the Black Sea, was threatened with being shot down. French Defence Minister, Sebastien Lecornu, revealed that the plane was then in international airspace.
AWACS aircraft have patrolled near the Black Sea since Russia began its invasion of Ukraine. These aircraft can detect missile launches, aerial bombings, and other military actions.
Lecornu also noted that this situation was unprecedented for the stationed French aviators in this region, because of the exceptionally aggressive attitude of the Russians, which "recalls the Cold War era".
The Minister's statements were upheld by a spokesperson for the French army:
The Russians threatened the crew during a radio exchange. It was an exceptionally aggressive radio exchange - emphasised
ABC News reported, and two other officials confirmed, that the radio conversation was in English. The Russian side clearly communicated to the French their intent to destroy the patrolling plane.
Aggressive responses by the Russians to NATO forces patrolling near the borders is not a new occurrence. Reuters recalls similar incidents such as the launch of a missile near a British observational aircraft RC-135 Rivet Joint, also over the Black Sea in international airspace, like the French AWACS.
