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During a patrol mission in international air space, the Russian forces put out a threat to the air force wing of France with a devastating attack as a sign of rising tensions, French Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu said Thursday.
“A Russian air traffic system threatened to shoot down French planes over the Black Sea” that were patrolling in international airspace at the time, Lecornu said.
“You have Russian operators threatening French pilots with the shooting down of their aircraft,” he said.
Not many details were produced by the minister about the involvement of the arsenal in the attack, but the hint was clearly about Russia drawing a particularly aggressive stance similar to its former dealings during the Cold War.
However, the minister, in an interview with RTI radio, talked about how a month ago, the air traffic control system of Russia, was eying to bring down a French aircraft in the Black Sea, although the French wings were right only in and around the free international zone of patrolling.
The radio exchange has been deemed to be very intense, which included curdling exchanges and has been called a defiant intimidating method being used by Russia, according to the spokesperson of the ministry.
Although the Russian vessel was in international waters, “it was as if it had come to intimidate France”, he said.
A standalone incident has also noted a similar situation wherein a Russian warship was seen near the Bay of the Seine, an inlet of the English Channel on France’s Normandy coast.
A series of accusations by France alleging Russian involvement in deadly cyberattacks, and attempting to uprise a far state propaganda, has just given this latest threat another section of space in the list.
The Ministry of France has been ordered to exercise extreme vigilance towards any new Russian developments, according to an internal directive seen by AFP on Tuesday.
Although the Russian pilots have made the stance clear about not being in favor of having themselves under the radar, the eastern flank of NATO is often patrolled by the French Air Force, as part of the efforts being made by the 31-nation military alliance to boost its defenses since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine two years ago on Saturday.
These aircraft have been designated as surveillance monitors, which can spot missile launches, and various other military activities being undertaken. The purpose has been clear about the French ultimately wanting to defuse any unforeseen situation.
The current French government has been a major supplier of weapons and other financial aid to Ukraine, in the midst of the war, and the president of France Emmanuel Macron has made it very clear to the parliament, that the intention is to not let Russia see the sun of victory.
Source Credit - News18
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