Russian Fighter Jet Collides With US Drone Above Black Sea

A Russian fighter jet collided with a U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drone over the Black Sea, forcing the drone to go down in international waters, US European Command said Tuesday. 

The Details: The U.S. drone was reportedly intercepted by two Russian SU-27 Flanker jets early Tuesday morning, and one of the jets struck the drone’s 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. This incident demonstrates a lack of competence in addition to being unsafe and unprofessional,” a US European Command statement said. White House National Security spokesman John Kirby said President Joe Biden was briefed on the incident Tuesday morning. 

For Context: Kirby added that similar intercepts were “not uncommon” in the region, but this incident was particularly “unsafe and unprofessional” and resulted in the downing of a U.S. aircraft. Tensions between the U.S. and Russia were already high because of the war in Ukraine, but Russia issued firmer warnings as Western countries considered supplying Ukraine with more advanced weaponry, like modern tanks and fighter jets. 

How the Media Covered It: Coverage was widespread and prominently featured across the spectrum. Some headlines exhibited sensationalism, like when a Fox News (Right bias) homepage headline called the Pentagon’s response a “scathing rebuke.”