A Russian Su-27 jet collided with a U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drone over the Black Sea, causing the military to down it. It’s the first direct contact since Russia began its enhanced invasion of Ukraine:
Before the collision, which occurred around 7 a.m. local time Tuesday, two Russian Su-27s “dumped fuel on and flew in front of the MQ-9 in a reckless, environmentally unsound and unprofessional manner,” said the U.S. European Command [EUCOM] in a statement. “This incident demonstrates a lack of competence in addition to being unsafe and unprofessional,” said the EUCOM, which is responsible for U.S. military operations in the region.After the collision, the U.S. brought down its drone. The drone was conducting “routine operations” over international airspace in the Black Sea, EUCOM said.
The jet landed in Crimea. No word yet if the collision damaged the jet.
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