London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Apr 02, 2025

What are the rules for flying across the Black Sea?

What are the rules for flying across the Black Sea?

News of the crash reverberated around the world: two Russian fighter jets reportedly dumped fuel on a US drone earlier this week before hitting and downing it.

Moscow has denied it. Washington dubbed it an "unprofessional" interception. And it has sparked a ratcheting up of confrontational rhetoric between Russia and the US.

But why was the encounter "unprofessional” and what are the rules for flying over the region? Euronews asked the experts.


Flying drones over international waters


The Black Sea – which borders Ukraine, Russia, Turkey, Georgia, Romania and Bulgaria – is a major theatre in the war in Ukraine.

Since Russia’s full-scale invasion, Moscow has used its navy fleet in the Sea to fire missiles at Ukrainian cities and to target the country's energy infrastructure.

And Ukrainian forces have also targeted Russian infrastructure and its navy in the region – famously sinking Moscow’s flagship vessel, the Moskva, in April 2022.

Russian missile cruiser Moskva is on patrol in the Mediterranean Sea near the Syrian coast in 2015.


But, countries are still allowed to fly drones and other aircraft over parts of the Black Sea, although not all of it.

Benjamyn Scott, an Assistant Professor at the Institute of Air and Space Law at Leiden University, told Euronews that the Black Sea is divided into sections: the territorial waters that belong to its bordering countries and its international waters.

According to Article 87 of the UN Convention on the Law of the Seas, international waters, and their airspace, are open to all countries.

While Turkey closed the Bosphorus Strait – a strip of water connecting the Black Sea to the Aegean Sea - to non-regional warships in 2022, the Black Sea remained, effectively, open, meaning the US could still access the area’s international airspace through its allies.

“To enter these international waters, [nations] can also go through the territory of a state,” Scott said.

“It would need to get prior permission [from the countries], whether on an ad-hoc basis or through pre-existing arrangements in order to enter this international airspace around the Black Sea.”

A US MQ-9 drone is on display during an air show at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan in 2018.


Drones are a ‘common presence’


Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, drones have “become a common presence in international airspace over the Black Sea,” according to James Patton Rogers, an Associate Professor at the Department of Political Science at the Danish Institute for Advanced Study.

“With the worry that Russia is a resurgent offensive power, there has been a broader increase in US and NATO drone border patrols across both the Baltic and Black Sea regions to keep a watchful eye on Russian movements.”

Encounters are not unusual between Russia and NATO aircraft. Prior to 2022, NATO and Russian planes were reportedly involved in an average of 400 interceptions every year, according to AP.

A NATO drone is parked in front of the national stadium in Warsaw in 2016.


But what makes Tuesday's interception unique is the accusation from the US that it was “intentional” and "aggressive."

“We know that the intercept was intentional. We know that the aggressive behaviour was intentional,” US General Mark Milley said after the drone crashed on 14 March.

And according to Scott, there are standard ways to intercept foreign aircraft, such as "not flying in a dangerous manner."

Rogers also pointed to the cost of the drone as a reason why the encounter was "an escalation".

“A [Reaper surveillance drone] can cost as much as $30 million [€28 million], and the downing of a US military asset is certainly an escalation,” he said.

“The US’ response will likely include increased drone patrols across the region, not a decrease [in presence].”

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Europe Pursues Digital Autonomy Amidst Transatlantic Strains
OpenAI Lands Unprecedented $40 Billion Funding.
Charity Chairwoman Accuses Prince Harry of Bullying and Harassment
DOGE revealed that USAID provided $84 million to the Clinton Foundation. Of this amount, $3 million was spent on Chelsea Clinton's wedding, and $10 million was used to acquire a lavish mansion.
The State Department has announced the formal closure of USAID.
Apple's Innovation Deficit: Falling Behind in AI and Foldable Technology as Chinese Developments Progress
President Trump Proposes Military Intervention to Obtain Greenland
Passenger Taken into Custody After Engaging in Masturbation on SWISS Air Flight
Barcelona player Dani Alves found not guilty of rape accusations.
PUTIN'S LIMOUSINE DETONATES—SECURITY CHAOS ENSUES
French Foreign Ministry Denounces U.S. Interference in Corporate Diversity Initiatives
Copyright Issues Emerge as AI-Generated Studio Ghibli Images Gain Popularity
This is what we refer to as CREATIVITY.
Removing the Political Opponent Means Dismissing the Remnants of Turkey's Economy.
Malaysia Strengthens Semiconductor Regulations in Response to U.S. Pressure to Restrict AI NVIDIA Chip Exports to China.
OpenAI Launches New Image Generation Tool for ChatGPT
Ex-FIFA President and French Football Icon Acquitted of Corruption Allegations
National Security Advisor Mike Waltz Under Investigation After Journalist Added to Secret Military Chat
Ex-Business Partner of Hunter Biden Discusses Possible Pardon from President Trump
U.S. Attorney General Announces Task Force to Prosecute Government Fraud
American Brands Face Consumer Boycott in Europe Amid Escalating Trade and Political Tensions
White House Investigates Security Breach After Journalist Accidentally Added to Secret Yemen Strike Chat
Samsung Executive Han Jong-hee Dies Suddenly Amid Ongoing Corporate Challenges
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has just signed off on a national debt hike to fast-track Germany’s militarization
Heathrow Airport Restarts Services as Investigation into Power Outage Commences
Pope Francis Released from Hospital Following Pneumonia Treatment
Pope Francis Appears in Public for the First Time in Five Weeks After His Hospital Stay
Usha Vance to Head U.S. Delegation During Greenland Visit Amid Discussions on Annexation
Trump suggests US could join British Commonwealth if offered by King Charles
Elon Musk Files Lawsuit Against Jamaal Bowman for Defamatory Remarks
European Countries to Boost Defense Expenditures in Response to Changes in U.S. Assistance
Iconic Boxer George Foreman Dies at 76
European Airline Shares Fall Following Disruption from Heathrow Power Outage
Pope Francis Set to Leave Hospital Following Recovery from Pneumonia
Thousands Take to the Streets in Amsterdam to Protest Racism and Fascism
Revealing the Electromagnetic Characteristics of the Great Pyramid of Giza
President Trump Cancels Security Clearances for Notable Political Figures.
The Development of China's Automotive Sector
Netanyahu Dismisses Shin Bet Chief Amid 'Loss of Trust' and 'Qatargate' Corruption Investigations Involving Netanyahu's Advisors
UK Conservatives Remain Optimistic Despite Polling Challenges
Labour MPs Unveil Initiative to Combat Harmful Influencers and Advocate for Healthy Masculinity
Miami Beach Mayor Cancels Plan to Expel Cinema Following Documentary Showing
Thousands of Drones Illuminate the Sky in Honor of Trump.
Leaders of the US and Ukraine Participate in Constructive Call During Ongoing Conflict
Elon Musk's X Experiences Valuation Recovery to $44 billion.
UK Government Set to Implement Major Budget Cuts in Spring Statement
US Federal Reserve Downgrades Economic Growth Outlook Due to Tariff Uncertainty
EU Claims US Tech Giants Have Violated Digital Regulations
Canada Denounces the Execution of Its Citizens in China Amid Rising Tensions
European Union Moves Toward Joint Debt for Military Spending
×