Russian fighter jet collides with US military drone over the Black Sea

A Russian fighter jet has hit a US navy drone over worldwide waters, crashing the drone. The MQ-9 Reaper drone and two SU-27 craft have been all flying above the Black Sea, and in line with the US navy’s European Command the Russian planes dumped gas on the drone, flew in entrance of it dangerously, and finally certainly one of them hit the drone’s propeller, forcing the US to carry down the drone.

“This unsafe and unprofessional act by the Russians nearly caused both aircraft to crash,” mentioned US Air Force commander James B. Hecker in a press launch. He additionally acknowledged that the drone was “conducting routine operations” and that this incident is not going to cease US plane from working in worldwide airspace. Drones like this one have been working over the Black Sea since properly earlier than the start of the Russia-Ukraine struggle to watch the scenario in Ukraine.

According to the US National Security Council’s John Kirby, it’s not unusual for Russian planes to intercept US plane on this space, and there have been different intercepts in the previous couple of weeks, however this one was notably unsafe.

“This incident follows a pattern of dangerous actions by Russian pilots while interacting with U.S. and Allied aircraft over international airspace, including over the Black Sea,” mentioned the US European Command press launch. “These aggressive actions by Russian aircrew are dangerous and could lead to miscalculation and unintended escalation.”