Two Russian Su-27 fighters shot down a United States Air Force (USA) MQ-9 drone in international airspace over the Black Sea, the US European Command (USEUCOM) confirmed.
According to USEUCOM, Russian fighters intercepted the MQ-9 Reaper Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance drone of the US Air Force, causing an incident that would cause the drone to crash.
Statements by US authorities indicate that one of the Russian planes struck the MQ-9’s propeller, causing US forces to shoot down the MQ-9 in international waters.
They also indicated that before the collision the fighters “dumped fuel and flew in front of the MQ-9 in a reckless, environmentally unfriendly and unprofessional manner,” they specified.
Russia has not made an official statement on the incident.
