WASHINGTON, February 16. /TASS/. US authorities believe that the three aircraft downed over North American last week were, most likely, balloons belonging to private companies or research institutions, not intelligence aircraft, US President Joe Biden said Thursday.
"We don't yet know exactly what these three objects were, but nothing right now suggests they were related to the Chinese spy balloon program, or they were surveillance vehicles from other any other country," he said. According to the assessments of the intelligence community the three objects were "most likely balloons tied to private companies, recreation or research institutions," Biden said.