US Drone, Russian Jet Collide; US, Russia Blame Each Other for Crash

A Russian Su-27 fighter jet collided with a US MQ-9 Reaper drone over the Black Sea on Tuesday; a US defense official told Fox News.

When the collision occurred in international airspace over international waters, the jet in question was one of two Su-27s flying in tandem. A US defense official said the drone's propeller was broken, leading the crewless aerial vehicle to ditch in the Black Sea west of Crimea.

US Drone, Russian Fighter Jet Crash

The State Department is summoning Russian Ambassador to the US Anatoly Antonov would raise "serious concerns" to the intercept, according to spokesperson Ned Price. The officer noted that the Su-27 was going toward Crimea and landed there following this incident. It is unknown whether the Su-27 was damaged, according to Fox News.

The US European Command and US Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa (USAFE-AFAFRICA) issued a joint statement on the incident, detailing the circumstances leading up to the collision and chastising Russia's military for "a pattern of risky operations" in international airspace.

According to a top Biden national security official, there have been "other intercepts" of American aircraft by Russian aircraft in recent weeks. Many times before the crash, it added that the Su-27 fighter planes dumped fuel on the drone in a "reckless, environmentally unsound, and unprofessional manner." The United States summoned Russia's Ambassador in Washington, Anatoly Antonov, to protest the move.

During the discussion, Russian state media cited Antonov stating that Moscow considered the drone incident "a provocation" and that "the inappropriate behavior of the US military in the proximity to our borders is a matter of concern."

After Russia's takeover of Crimea in 2014, tensions have increased over the Black Sea. Following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the US and the UK have increased observation and surveillance planes, but they always fly in international airspace.

The critical question is whether Russia's brush with the US drone on Tuesday was an attempt to impair its operations or a purposeful attempt to bring it down. According to the United States, Russian pilots have engaged in a "pattern of risky activities" against NATO aircraft in the region.

According to BBC, this implies the drone's downing may theoretically have resulted from a mistake by a Russian pilot who went too near when they "buzzed" the drone. However, if this was a planned attack on a US aircraft by a Russian warplane, observers believe it would be a significant provocation and escalation.

In this instance, the strike would be interpreted as an attempt by the Kremlin to gauge the United States' response. Western allies have exerted significant efforts to prevent the Ukrainian conflict from becoming a direct confrontation with Russia. But, this occurrence over the Black Sea is only that. US military chiefs cautioned that this was risky conduct that "may lead to miscalculation and unintended escalation."

Russia Previously Assaulted US Vessels

Russian planes have also buzzed US vessels during Black Sea operations. In 2021, Russian airplanes buzzed the Navy ship USS Donald Cook while it participated in a significant drill. Before Russia invaded Ukraine in 2014, US warships were often deployed to the Black Sea in response to Russia's 2014 attack on Crimea.

Nonetheless, military intercepts - whether in the air or on the water - are generally regular and often occur with Russian aircraft in the northern Pacific. Last month, US fighter jets "escorted" two Russian TU-95 bombers for 12 minutes in international airspace off the coast of Alaska, according to the Pentagon.

In addition to similar activities, Russian aircraft have also buzzed US Navy ships in the Pacific. The majority of intercepts are judged secure and professional.

Per ABC News, it is unclear whether Russian pilots were ready to approach the Reaper or dump gasoline on it since they knew it was unmanned and posed no threat to US pilots or crews. The intentional destruction of a crewed aircraft, resulting in the injury or death of crew members, might be deemed an act of war.