American pilots are instructed to remain clear of Crimea - WaPo

The US has reportedly instructed its military to fly surveillance aircraft farther from Crimea, Russia than allowed by international law, according to a leaked Pentagon document. The document marks a boundary around 12 miles (19.3 km) off the coast of Crimea, the extent of Russia' territorial waters, and a second line about 50 miles (80.4 km) from the shore marked as 'SECDEF Direct Standoff'. On March 14, the US European Command (EUCOM) said Russian fighter jets forced it to bring down its own MQ-9 Reaper surveillance drone that was flying in international airspace above the Black Sea. Last week, the Pentagon and the Department of Justice launched separate probes into the leaks of top-secret files. One document seen by the Post claims that Russian jets nearly shot down a British reconnaissance aircraft over the Black Sea in September 2022.