US drone downing: Black Sea conflict inevitable until Russia leaves - Ukraine minister

Incidents specified arsenic the downing of a US drone implicit the Black Sea are inevitable until Russia leaves Crimea, Ukraine's overseas curate has told the BBC.

But Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said helium did not expect immoderate diplomatic escalation.

Describing it arsenic a "routine incident", Mr Kuleba told the BBC: "As agelong arsenic Russia controls Crimea, these kinds of incidents volition beryllium inevitable and the Black Sea volition not beryllium a harmless place.

"So the lone mode to forestall specified incidents is really to footwear Russia retired of Crimea."

The cardinal question is whether the brushwood was an effort by Russia to disrupt the US drone - oregon whether it was a deliberate effort to bring it down.

US subject officials said the incidental happened connected Tuesday greeting and the confrontation lasted astir 30-40 minutes.

Several times earlier the collision, the Russian jets dumped substance connected the drone successful a "reckless, environmentally unsound and unprofessional manner", the US said successful a connection connected Tuesday.

Pentagon spokesperson Brig Gen Pat Ryder told reporters the drone was "unflyable and uncontrollable truthful we brought it down", adding the collision besides apt damaged the Russian aircraft.

Russia has denied its 2 Su-27 combatant jets made immoderate interaction with the US drone.

Russia's defence ministry said the drone crashed aft a "sharp manoeuvre", and that it was flying with its transponders (communication devices) turned off.

Tensions person risen implicit the Black Sea ever since Russia's annexation of adjacent Crimea successful 2014.

And since Russia's full-scale penetration of Ukraine, the US and the UK person stepped up surveillance flights, though ever operating successful planetary airspace.

The BBC asked Mr Kuleba if, pursuing the drone incident, the US and different allies mightiness go much cautious.

"If the West wants to show its weakness, it should surely show its cautiousness aft an incidental similar this, but I don't person a feeling that this is the temper successful capitals," helium replied.

"The temper is not to escalate but nor is the temper to thin nether the unit - the carnal oregon rhetorical unit - of Russia."

US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin vowed the subject would "continue to alert and operate" wherever planetary instrumentality allows.

He told the Ukraine interaction group: "It is incumbent upon Russia to run its craft successful a harmless and nonrecreational manner."

After being summoned to talk to officials successful Washington, Russian ambassador Anatoly Antonov said Moscow saw the drone incidental arsenic "a provocation".

From the Kremlin's constituent of presumption Mr Antonov added: "The unacceptable enactment of the US subject successful the adjacent proximity to our borders is simply a origin for concern."

On Wednesday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov reporters determination has been nary high-level interaction betwixt Moscow and Washington implicit the incident.

But helium said Russia would ne'er garbage to prosecute successful constructive dialogue.