US flies 2nd spy plane over Ukraine to 'gather intel' on Russian troops, claim reports

Just hours before the planned phone conversation between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US counterpart Joe Biden, the United States Air Force conducted a second overflight over eastern Ukraine. CNN reported citing a source familiar with the US Air Force mission that the overflight was carried out on Thursday morning to collect intelligence about the Russian military situation on the ground. 

Earlier on Wednesday, the media outlet also reported citing European Command (EUCOM) spokesperson Lt. Cmdr. Russ Wolfkiel that US spy plane JSTARS E-8 had conducted the first flight over Ukraine to gather intelligence. It is to note that US’ aircrafts flying over Ukraine were recorded amid heightened tensions between Moscow and the West. US and Ukrainian intelligence has also flagged Moscow’s troop buildup near its border amid concerns of possible invasion into Kyiv. 

CNN also stated that the first overflight in Ukrainian airspace took place on December 27 and was given a nod by the Ukrainian government. The US Department of Defence or Pentagon has not yet officially commented about the kind of information gathered through these air missions. 

Meanwhile, as tensions between Russia and the West continue to soar over Ukraine, Biden and Putin held a telephonic conversation just hours after the US flew a second spy plane. Earlier on December 17, Russia had submitted draft security proposals to the United States and NATO precluding the alliance’s further eastward expansion. 

Russia Needs Legally Binding Agreements On Security Proposals From US

Russian President Vladimir Putin told his US counterpart Joe Biden that Moscow requires legally binding agreements on security guarantees, revealed Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov. In a 50-minute-long telephonic conversation, Putin even conveyed the crucial principles about the earlier submitted documents on security guarantees. It is to note that the call between the Kremlin leader and US President came amid heightened tensions in Europe between Russia and the West over Moscow’s border with Ukraine. 

According to Sputnik, Ushakov also described the Putin-Biden call as substantive. He was quoted by the news agency on Thursday as saying, “Vladimir Putin outlined in detail the basic principles that were put in the documents we handed over, and stressed that negotiations on these three tracks are important for us [bilateral talks in Geneva, Russia-NATO council in Brussels, and OSCE summit in Vienna].”

“But the main thing is that we need a result, and we will achieve a result in the form of ensuring the guaranteed security of Russia,” Ushakov also said while adding, “Biden has clearly said that the United States is not going to deploy offensive strike weapons to Ukraine.”

(IMAGE: AP)