Pilots who destroyed US Reaper drone are honoured by Russia as Putin's Black Sea fleet look set to win the race to recover it
US Reaper drone crashed into Black Sea after Russian fighter jets intercepted it
Now, Russia's defence minister Sergei Shoigu has presented awards to pilots
The Russian pilots of two Su-27 fighter planes that destroyed an American drone have been honoured by Russia's Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu.
The $32 million MQ-9 Reaper drone crashed into the Black Sea on Tuesday after being intercepted by the two Russian fighter jets, in what US officials have said was a deliberate act, possibly in an attempt to seize its data.
The US is in a race against time to recover the Reaper before it falls into Moscow's hands. However, Russia looks set to win the race as Putin's naval salvage vessels are already operating off the coast of Crimea.
