“Russia’s Provocative Move: Awarding Gold Medals to Pilots Who Shot Down US Drone Triggers Outrage”

Russian fighter jet pilots who shot down a US drone flying over the Black Sea have been awarded medals by Moscow, causing outrage from the US. The Russian Defence Minister, Sergey Shoigu, presented Gold Star medals and Orders of Courage to the pilots after the $32m MQ-9 Reaper drone was destroyed. The US has criticised the move, with White House national security spokesman John Kirby calling it “insulting” and suggesting that the Kremlin must have a “different definition” of bravery. The US drone was spotted near the Crimean Peninsula on 14 March flying with its transponders switched off.