Kirby calls Russian pilot who hit US drone an ‘idiot’

White House
national security
spokesman
John Kirby
referred to the pilot who shot down a
U.S. drone
as a fool on Wednesday. This follows the recent award that
Russia
presented to the pilot for bringing down the drone.

Kirby, who is a former Navy admiral, indicated that the award was both “insulting” and “ridiculous.” He claimed that Russia must have a “different definition” of bravery.

US DRONE HIT BY RUSSIAN PILOT ‘SANK TO AN UNRECOVERABLE DEPTH’

Kirby noted, “I don’t know of another military, another air force in the world that would award a pilot for smashing into a drone. If that’s bravery, then I guess they’ve got a different definition of it. It’s ludicrous. It’s insulting. In the Navy I grew up in, you don’t want to hit anything. Hitting anything’s bad for you. I have no clue why they would give a bravery award to a pilot who was, at worst, maliciously putting himself and U.S. property at great risk and, at best, just a fool.”

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu presented the pilots with the Orders of Courage award on Wednesday.

The award was given following U.S. reports that a Russian fighter jet had collided with a U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drone last week. The drone’s propeller was damaged, and it fell into the
Black Sea.
According to a spokesperson for the Air Force, the drone is not recoverable due to its deep location. However, all sensitive data, including U.S. intelligence, was deleted.

Russia indicated that it had prevented a U.S. aircraft from entering Russian airspace by engaging with the drone. However, U.S. officials have maintained that the drone was flying in international airspace and fell into international waters.

The Pentagon shared footage of the crash that occurred last week. The video displayed a Russian Su-27 jet closing in behind the drone as fuel was released. The camera briefly stopped after contact was made. When it resumed, the propeller showed significant harm.

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Kirby argued that while the United States might never know the intent of the pilots involved, the incident, by all indications, was an “intentional harassment” and “intentionally aggressive” action.

Secretary of Defense
Lloyd Austin
stated that this move was the latest in a series of risky actions by Russia, although it was the first time a Russian pilot had collided with a U.S. drone.