Russian jet collides with US Military MQ-Reaper Drone over Black sea

A U.S. Military MQ-9 “Reaper” surveillance drone intercepted and struck by a Russian Su-27 fighter jet , hitting the propeller and crashing over the Black Sea.

The unmanned US drone crashed into the Black Sea after colliding with a Russian fighter plane, according to the US military. According to the report, two Russian jets attempted to intercept the drone as it was on a routine mission in international airspace. Incident happened around 07:03 Central European Time (06:03 GMT), according to the US military.

Russia said the drone fell following a “sharp movement”, and disputed that the two aircraft made touch. The US plane was reportedly flying without transponders, according to the Russian ministry of defense. Transponders are communication tools that enable tracking of the aircraft.

The collision on Tuesday was caused by a “unprofessional act by the Russians,” according to the US European Command. This was a dangerous conduct that “may lead to miscalculation and unintended escalation,” US military commanders cautioned in their statement.

The conflict’s high stakes risks are highlighted by this confrontation, which is thought to be the first direct U.S.-Russian conflict in the year since the Ukrainian War started.