According to US President Joe Biden, the three mysterious flying objects recently shot down by the US military were most likely on their way for research purposes. According to the intelligence services, they probably belonged to private companies or research institutions, as Biden said in Washington on Thursday.

"We do not yet know exactly what these three objects were, but at this time there is nothing to indicate that they were connected to China's spy balloon program," Biden said. There is also nothing to suggest that they were traveling for espionage purposes on behalf of another country.

On the other hand, Biden defended the launch of the suspected Chinese spy balloon by the American military against criticism from Beijing. "I do not apologize for the downing of this balloon," Biden said in Washington on Thursday. The US did not seek conflict with China and did not want a new Cold War. It's just a matter of competition between the two states. Diplomats from both countries are still in contact. "And I expect to speak to President Xi," he said, referring to his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping.

In this case, however, China violated the sovereignty of the United States. Biden said that was unacceptable. The shooting was therefore necessary to send a clear message to Beijing.

After the US military shot down a suspected Chinese spy balloon on February 4, it has taken three other previously unidentified and smaller flying objects from the sky since the end of last week. One was shot down over Alaska, one over Canada and one over Lake Huron, which is part of the Great Lakes in the northern United States bordering Canada. Since then there has been speculation about the origin and purpose of the flying objects.