A concerning incident unfolded in the eastern Mediterranean on Sunday, March 2, when a Russian Su-35S fighter jet came dangerously close to a French Reaper drone.

The French Ministry of Defense has since raised alarms over the risk of this close encounter, which they believe could have resulted in a loss of control of the unmanned aircraft.

Aggressive Maneuvers Near the Syrian Coast

According to French Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu, the Reaper drone was conducting a routine surveillance mission over neutral waters when the Russian jet made three aggressive maneuvers.

The French government has described these actions as potentially dangerous, suggesting they were close enough to jeopardize the drone’s stability.

It’s suspected that the French drone was keeping an eye on Russian naval movements in the Mediterranean, particularly near the Syrian coast.

Russian Su-35S Fighter’s Role in the Incident

The Su-35S fighter jet involved in the close encounter is believed to have taken off from Russia’s Khmeimim Airbase in Syria.

Despite recent shifts in power within Damascus, this airbase remains operational and active, suggesting that such encounters could continue to be a possibility in the region.

Previous Russian Interference with French Surveillance

This incident is not the first time the French military has reported issues with Russian aircraft.

Earlier this year, in January, French reconnaissance planes were affected by Russian electronic warfare systems while flying over the Baltic Sea, possibly near the Kaliningrad region.

The ongoing tension between the two countries seems to have escalated with these close encounters in the air.

As the situation continues to unfold, concerns over the safety and security of surveillance operations in contested airspaces remain high.