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Fragments of Chinese balloon delivered to FBI for examination — report

The Pentagon used means to create electronic interference, which could limit the ability of the ball to collect information, the broadcaster reports

NEW YORK, February 7. /TASS/. The first batch of fragments of the previously downed Chinese balloon has been delivered to the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for examination, CNN reported Monday citing its sources.

According to the CNN sources, the Pentagon engaged electronic warfare equipment in order to prevent the balloon from collecting any intelligence. The aircraft was downed by the US military on February 4 neat South Carolina coast. No one was injured.

On February 2, Pentagon Spokesman Patrick Ryder reported that US authorities detected a "surveillance balloon" over the continental US. According to the spokesman, the balloon travelled at an altitude, much higher than that of commercial airlines, and posed no threat for people on the ground.

On Monday, US National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby said that US authorities were collecting the fragments of the downed balloon, in order to shed more light on the incident.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken held China responsible for the incident. The Chinese Foreign Ministry said that the balloon was, indeed, Chinese, and had "civilian purpose - in particular, it was used for weather research.".

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