Day after US drone goes down into the Black Sea, defence ministers and military chiefs from US and Russia hold rare telephone conversations with ties at their lowest point in decades over Moscow's offensive in Ukraine — now in its 386th day.
It is unclear if the Russians managed to recover wreckage of US drone. (Reuters Archive)
Thursday, March 16, 2023
Russian forces have reached the site where a US Reaper drone crashed after colliding with a Russian fighter jet, US media reported, citing American officials.
The Russians have reached the MQ-9 crash site in the Black Sea, two US officials told CNN.
The news network added, however, that it is unclear if they were able to recover the US drone.
Earlier, White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said in an interview with CNN that it might be "impossible" to recover the remains of the drone.
The United States uses MQ-9 Reapers for both surveillance and strikes and has long operated them over the Black Sea to keep an eye on Russian naval forces.
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0038 GMT — Moldova no longer receiving Russian gas
Ex-Soviet Moldova is no longer receiving Russian gas or enduring the "blackmail" imposed by gas giant Gazprom over its difficulties in paying for supplies, the country's energy minister has said.
Victor Parlicov, speaking to TV8 television evening, said Gazprom had been providing supplies only to Moldova's Russian-backed Transdniestria separatist region since December, with none going to central authorities in Chisinau.
He said Moldova, wedged between Ukraine and European Union member Rom ania, was able to secure European supplies thanks to $318 million in credits from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.
But Transdniestria, he said, has never paid Gazprom for the gas it receives.
"Transdniestria did't pay for gas before and it's not paying now," Parlicov said. "Gazprom puts up with debts from there. But when the (rest of Moldova) was getting gas, the Russian company resorted to supply cuts, to blackmail."
2223 GMT — France accused of slowing Ukraine aid
France has been accused of slowing down a European Union $2.12 billion package for purchasing weapons for Ukraine by demanding that the munitions be manufactured inside the bloc, The Telegraph reported.
"Paris wanted guarantees that a deal to jointly procure weapons would only benefit firms based in the EU," the newspaper reported, quoting European sources.
2121 GMT — Ukraine's Zelenskyy dismisses three governors
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has issued decrees dismissing three regional governors.
Luhansk Governor Serhiy Haidai, Odesa Governor Maksym Marchenko and Khmelnytskyi Governor Serhiy Hamaliy were relieved of their duties, according to a statement from the Ukrainian Presidency.
A number of Ukrainian officials have either stepped down or have been relieved of their duties since January 24 after Zelenskyy declared that he would reshuffle officials at various levels in ministries and central and local administrative bodies as well as in law enforcement to build "a strong state."
Source: TRTWorld and agencies
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