Air Force says Russian jets harassed US drones over Syria for second straight day

Russian fighter jets harassed U.S. drones over Syria for a second straight day on Thursday, according to the U.S. Air Force.

The Russian aircraft engaged in “unsafe and unprofessional behavior,” dropping flares in front of the U.S. MQ-9 drones and flying dangerously close to the aircraft, which are part of the U.S. mission to defeat ISIS, Lt. Gen. Alex Grynkewich said in a statement.

The latest incident occurred at 9:30 a.m. local time Thursday in Syria, less than 24 hours after a similar episode Wednesday in which Russian jets launched parachute flares at U.S. drones in Syria and traveled dangerously close to them, Grynkewich said.

“These events represent another example of unprofessional and unsafe actions by Russian air forces operating in Syria, which threaten the safety of both Coalition and Russian forces,” Grynkewich said.

“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,” he added.

In March, Russian jets intercepted a U.S. drone over the Black Sea, forcing it down in a move officials at the time condemned as “dangerous” and warned “could lead to miscalculation and unintended escalation.”