Russian pilots caught red-handed vandalizing U.S. drone as Ukraine blows through NATO’s ammo at alarming pace.
(Originally published March 17 in “What in the World‘) The Pentagon released a video shot from the U.S. Air Force’s doomed Reaper drone that shows at least one Russian Su-27 fighter jet dumping fuel on it and then accidentally running into its propeller before the drone crashed into the Black Sea off Crimea.
No word yet on whether the Reaper’s remote operator suffered any psychological damage, but the U.S. seems determined that Moscow answer for this wanton act of aerial vandalism against its expensive spy toys. The Russians have denied interfering with the $32 million surveillance drone, which was flying over international waters south of Russian-occupied Crimea when Russia’s fighters intercepted it.
Poland said it would break ranks with its allies in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and send Ukraine four Soviet-made MiG fighters. The U.S. and its European allies have been reluctant to send fighter jets to Ukraine, in part because Ukrainian pilots may not be trained to fly them. They also worry Russia may retaliate against any nation that does sent jets, particularly if Ukraine uses them to launch attacks inside Russia.
What Washington may not have bargained on was Ukraine blowing so much NATO-supplied ammunition so fast that it had nothing left to give it but fighter jets. Ukraine is so rapidly depleting Western supplies of ammunition that Western allies worry it won’t be able to fend off the much-anticipated spring offensive by Russian invaders, who are running out of ammo themselves—or that the West may be left vulnerable itself.
Poland had insisted it wouldn’t send fighters unless they were part of a bouquet of assorted NATO jets. It isn’t clear whether the MiGs will lower or raise the pressure on Washington to give into Ukraine’s requests for F-16s. But for now, fighter jets and long-range Atacms missiles remain beyond Ukraine’s grasp, part of what critics of Washington’s approach decry as incrementalism that denies Ukraine victory, but which also keeps Russia bogged down in Ukraine.
Politico says it has obtained customs data revealing that China last year sold Russia assault rifles, drone parts and body armor, all of which could be used for the war in Ukraine. The shipments included 1,000 CQ-A assault rifles from China North Industries Group Corp. to a Russian company, Tekhkrim. China’s DJI, maker of the popular drones used to make countless TikTok and Instagram videos, has also been accused of sending its drone parts to Russia via the United Arab Emirates. DJI’s drones are apparently just as useful for spying as for taking aerial footage of people posing amid stunning scenery.
While Politico’s story appears to refute China’s claims not to even be considering supplying weapons to Russia, it also contradicts Washington’s narrative that there’s no evidence China has shipped lethal weapons to Russia, but that it’s considering doing so.
Australia is joining Japan in the line to buy Raytheon’s Tomahawk cruise missiles. The U.S. State Dept. this week approved Canberra’s request to pay $985 million for 220 of the ship-launched projectiles.
Japan has already placed a $1.6 billion order for 400 Tomahawks, which may suggest it’s getting a discount for buying in bulk. Australia plans to arm its destroyers with the Tomahawks, which can hit targets 1,600 kilometers away. Norway will meanwhile pay $1.14 billion for six of Sikorsky’s Seahawk helicopters to help scour the Arctic for sneaky Russians.