In a disconcerting move that belies international norms of conduct, Russian military aircraft were seen engaging in perilously close encounters with U.S. drones over Syria, according to recent footage revealed by the U.S. Air Forces Central Wednesday.

The video captures Russian SU-35 fighters inserting themselves into the flight paths of the U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drones and launching so-called parachute flares, compelling the American drones to execute evasive maneuvers.

Lieutenant General Alex Grynkewich, commander of the 9th Air Force in the Middle East, provided insight into the incident. At the time, three U.S. drones were overseeing a mission targeting the Islamic State terror group over Syria. The Russian aircraft began their troubling interference post 10:30 a.m. local time.

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Describing the situation, Grynkewich noted, “Russian military aircraft engaged in unsafe and unprofessional behavior while interacting with U.S. aircraft in Syria.”

He pointed out that such actions compromise the safety of both U.S. and Russian forces.

“We urge Russian forces in Syria to cease this reckless behavior and adhere to the standards of behavior expected of a professional air force so we can resume our focus on the enduring defeat of ISIS,” Grynkewich said.

Despite sharing the nature of the conflict, Grynkewich did not provide additional details regarding the specific objectives of their mission.

As part of his statement, Grynkewich highlighted an alarming incident where a Russian pilot deliberately positioned their aircraft in front of a U.S. drone and activated the SU-35’s afterburner. This action significantly increases the speed and air pressure of the aircraft.

The turbulence resulting from the jet blast of the afterburner hindered the drone operator’s ability to safely command the aircraft, Grynkewich confirmed.

Reaffirming the gravity of the situation, Army General Erik Kurilla, head of U.S. Central Command, pointed out that Russia’s transgressions against ongoing endeavors to secure Syrian airspace “increases the risk of escalation or miscalculation.”

Maintaining their commitment in Syria, the U.S. currently has a force of around 900 troops stationed in the region. These soldiers are working in conjunction with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, striving tirelessly against ISIS.

At this time, no other details about the drone operation, or the specific location over Syria where the incidents occurred, were provided.

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