Chinese ‘spy’ balloons spotted over five continents, say US officials
Chinese ‘spy’ balloons have been spotted in skies above countries across five continents, US officials have announced.
The US has also been in touch with its allies on the issue of the balloons, according to the White House.
It comes after US fighter jets shot down a suspected Chinese spying device off the coast of South Carolina on Saturday.
Another suspected surveillance balloon was spotted over Latin America on Monday.
Officials in Washington say they believe the device over the US was a spy balloon and that China intended to use it on sensitive military sites.
But Beijing insists that the balloons are for “civilian usage” and that they have simply blown off-course.
US President Joe Biden ordered the balloon over the US to be shot down over the Atlantic, off the coast of Myrtle Beach.
On Tuesday, the US navy shared pictures of the downed balloon being removed by hand from the sea.
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US navy pulls downed ‘spy’ balloon from the sea
Suspected ‘spy balloon’ was same size as 20-storey building
Officials described the balloon as being roughly 60m (200ft) tall and most likely weighing 71st (1,000lbs).
Authorities had waited until the balloon went over the Atlantic to shoot it down given its size and weight and the associated risk to people and property.
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Moment ‘spy balloon’ is shot down
The Chinese foreign ministry called the balloon shooting an “obvious overreaction” that “seriously violated international conventions”, in a statement on Sunday.
The appearance of the balloon over the US sparked a diplomatic crisis between Washington and Bejiing, with US secretary of state Antony Blinken cancelling his visit to the world’s second-largest economy as a result.
The much-anticipated visit was to be the first of its kind since 2018.
Vladimir Putin told Donald Trump he “will not back down” from Russia’s goals in Ukraine during a phone call today, the Kremlin has said.
The Russian president spoke to his US counterpart for almost an hour, and Mr Trump “again raised the issue of an early end to military action” in Ukraine, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters.
In response, Mr Putin said “Russia will not back down” from its aims there, which include “the elimination of the well-known root causes that led to the current state of affairs,” Mr Ushakov said.
The phrase “root causes” is shorthand for Moscow’s argument that it was compelled to invade Ukraine in order to prevent the country from joining NATO.
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Trump and Putin’s latest call on Ukraine
Ukraine and its European allies say this is a pretext to justify what they call an imperial-style war, but Mr Trump has previously shown sympathy with Russia.
At the same time, Mr Putin told the US president that Russia is ready to continue negotiating, the aide said.
The Russian president said any prospective peace deal must see Ukraine give up its NATO bid and recognise his country’s territorial gains.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy, seen with Mr Trump in June, is pushing for Ukraine to join NATO. Pic: Reuters
He also briefed Mr Trump on agreements made last month, which saw Russia and Ukraine exchange prisoners of war and dead soldiers.
Specific dates for the third round of peace talks in Istanbul were not discussed – nor was the US decision to halt some shipments of critical weapons to Ukraine.
Mr Putin and Mr Trump’s call came after the Pentagon confirmed some weapons due to be sent to Ukraine have been held as it reviews military stockpiles.
The paused shipments include air defence missiles and precision-guided artillery, two people familiar with the situation have said.
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The decision led to Ukraine calling in the acting US envoy to Kyiv on Wednesday to underline the importance of military aid from Washington.
Kyiv also cautioned that the move would weaken Ukraine’s ability to defend itself against intensifying Russian airstrikes and battlefield advances.
Mr Putin and Mr Trump’s phone call was the sixth they have publicly disclosed since the US president returned to the White House in January.
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