Video: Russian fighter jet collides with US drone
Defense And Security,Russia,World,US Military,Foreign Policy
A Russian fighter jet collided with a large U.S. surveillance drone over the Black Sea on Tuesday, raising tensions between the two nations. NewsNation obtained video footage of the collision between the Russian Su-27 fighter jet and the MQ-9 Reaper drone.
Video from the U.S. Air Force showed two Russian fighter jets attempting to take down the drone. As the first jet neared the drone, it dumped fuel on it and flew overhead, just missing it. When the second fighter jet approached the drone, it also dumped fuel upon it and then struck the propeller of the MQ-9 drone.
The collision forced U.S. forces to bring the MQ-9 Reaper drone down into international waters.
The rare incident triggered a U.S. diplomatic protest and raised concerns about the possibility that Russia could recover sensitive technology. Each side blamed the other for the collision.
The Biden administration and lawmakers blasted Russia, calling the incident an unprofessional and unsafe maneuver.