A Russian fighter jet dumped fuel today on an American drone over the Black Sea and then collided with it, causing the drone to crash, the US military says.
US European Command says two Russian Su-27 fighters intercepted the unmanned MQ-9 Reaper over international waters and one clipped its propeller.
“Several times before the collision, the Su-27s dumped fuel on and flew in front of the MQ-9 in a reckless, environmentally unsound and unprofessional manner,” it says.
NATO diplomats in Brussels confirm the incident, but say they do not expect it to immediately escalate into a further confrontation.
A Western military source, speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity, says diplomatic channels between Russia and the United States will be activated.
“To my mind, diplomatic channels will mitigate this,” the source says.
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