Pentagon sends flight over Ukraine following Russian naval incident
A US Air Force observation plane flew over Ukraine on 6 December in a mission to show US support for Kiev following Russia’s seizure of three Ukrainian naval vessels in the Sea of Azov, officials said.
The 25 November confrontation was the first open military incident between Kiev and Moscow since 2014 when Russia annexed the Crimean peninsula and a conflict erupted in eastern Ukraine.
‘Today, the United States and Allies conducted an extraordinary flight under the Open Skies Treaty. The timing of this flight is intended to reaffirm US commitment to Ukraine and other partner nations,’ the Pentagon said in a statement.
The Open Skies Treaty is aimed at promoting military transparency through reciprocal, unarmed observation flights over each of the 34 signatory countries’ terrains.
The Pentagon said the Ukrainian military had requested the flight, which was on an OC-135 surveillance plane and had observers from the US, Canada, Germany, France, Britain, Romania and Ukraine aboard.
This was the first ‘extraordinary’ flight under the Open Skies Treaty since 2014, the Pentagon said. Such flights occur outside the schedule of normal, planned operations when unusual situations arise.
After last month’s incident, Russia took 24 Ukrainian seamen into custody. The sailors have been put before a court in Simferopol, the main city in Russian-annexed Crimea, and ordered to be held in pre-trial detention for two months.
‘Russia’s unprovoked attack on Ukrainian naval vessels in the Black Sea near the Kerch Strait is a dangerous escalation in a pattern of increasingly provocative and threatening activity,’ the Pentagon said.
‘The United States seeks a better relationship with Russia, but this cannot happen while its unlawful and destabilizing actions continue in Ukraine and elsewhere.’
More from Naval Warfare
-
![UK DIP: Royal Navy bets on defence technology over bigger fleets]()
UK DIP: Royal Navy bets on defence technology over bigger fleets
The Royal Navy’s transition towards a hybrid fleet could prove to be less about building more hulls and more about delivering the autonomous technologies, AI and digital integration that will support future maritime operations.
-
![US Navy’s MUSV programme could lay the USV procurement blueprint for NATO allies]()
US Navy’s MUSV programme could lay the USV procurement blueprint for NATO allies
The programme’s structure as a marketplace will allow multiple companies to compete for ongoing procurements; an approach which could be replicated across the Atlantic.
-
![UK Defence Investment Plan: What does it mean for the country’s naval forces?]()
UK Defence Investment Plan: What does it mean for the country’s naval forces?
Investment in nuclear submarines, autonomous systems and stronger defensive capabilities for existing vessels show a clear strategic shift in Royal Navy priorities.
-
![UK Royal Navy shifts focus from warships to system-led warfare]()
UK Royal Navy shifts focus from warships to system-led warfare
With a revised Defence Investment Plan on the way ahead of the upcoming NATO Summit on 7-8 July, the UK government has begun to reveal more details of how its future naval fleet could look.
-
![Funding for the future US Navy Trump-class battleship sparks controversy in Congress]()
Funding for the future US Navy Trump-class battleship sparks controversy in Congress
Lawmakers question the US Navy’s proposed $2 billion investment in the Trump-class battleship as concerns over cost, technology maturity and operational relevance fuel growing bipartisan scrutiny on Capitol Hill.
-
![Germany sinks F126 frigate programme in favour of cheaper MEKO A-200]()
Germany sinks F126 frigate programme in favour of cheaper MEKO A-200
On 24 June 2026, the German Ministry of Defence announced it was cancelling the F126 frigate programme in favour of procuring eight MEKO A-200 DEU frigates.
