Russia calls US reaction to Chinese balloon 'hysterical'

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - Russia on Tuesday called "hysterical" the US reaction on Chinese balloon that was shot down by the US military after it intruded into the country's airspace.

In a post on Telegram, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said "explanations, given by the Chinese side about the entry of an unmanned balloon" into the US airspace due to "force majeure event" are "quite sufficient and understandable."

"China acted responsibly in this difficult situation, which cannot be said about the impulsive reaction of Washington and the American media: it is difficult to call it anything but hysterical," she said.

Zakharova added that "the US continues to denigrate and demonize countries that do not intend to dance to their tune for far-fetched reasons."

On Feb. 2, Pentagon said the US authorities had detected a "Chinese reconnaissance balloon" over the continental part of the country. It was shot down on Feb. 4 by the military off the coast of South Carolina.

China admitted the balloon belonged to it, but said it was used for meteorological research.

Its Foreign Ministry called the incident "entirely an unexpected, isolated incident caused by force majeure" and that Washington's reaction" is "unacceptable and irresponsible." 

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken had also postponed his trip to China, telling top Chinese top diplomat Wang Yi over phone that the balloon was “a clear violation of US sovereignty and international law that undermined the purpose of the trip.”