![A Russian fighter jet collided with an American Reaper drone over the Black Sea](https://image.cnbcfm.com/api/v1/image/107208535-16788170931678817090-28580975112-1080pnbcnews.jpg?v=1678817356&w=750&h=422&vtcrop=y)
WASHINGTON — A Russian fighter jet shot down a U.S. drone operating over the Black Sea on Tuesday, the U.S. European Command said in a statement.
“Our MQ-9 aircraft was performing routine operations in international airspace when it was intercepted and hit by a Russian aircraft, leading to a crash and complete lack of the MQ-9,” said US Air Force Gen. James Hecker, commander of the US Air Force’s Europe and the Air Force in Africa.
He said two Russian planes, including one involved in the collision, had been harassing the drone before the collision.
“Several times before the collision, the Su-27s spilled fuel and flew in front of the MQ-9 in a reckless, unenvironmental and unprofessional manner,” the statement added.
The General Atomics Guardian drone, which is a naval version of the company’s Predator B or MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicle.
General Atomics
The incident “demonstrates Russia’s incompetence,” the European command said. The US called the behavior “unsafe and unprofessional” and a part of a pattern of dangerous behavior by Russian pilots.
The collision occurred in international airspace, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters. He he added that the US consistently flew over the Black Sea before the outbreak of the war in Ukraine in February last yr. Kirby said the US just isn’t required to “check-in” in Russia before the flight.
The Russian Defense Ministry said two of its fighter planes didn’t come into contact with the US drone. In a statement published on the official Telegram channel, the ministry said that the drone was flying with transponders near the Crimean peninsula when it entered an “unguided flight” after which fell into the water.
The US is discussing drone rescue operations, two US defense officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told NBC News. Officials added that no U.S. ships are currently sailing in the Black Sea.
The incident marked the first time officials were aware of a Russian jet dropping fuel on a US plane during interception.
One official said the plane that collided with the drone was more than likely damaged, but initial reports indicate it was in a position to land in Crimea. Russia annexed it peninsula on the Black Sea in 2014.
Two Sukhoi Su-27 fighters perform during the celebration of the tenth anniversary of the Russian air base of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) in Kant, about 20 km from Bishkek, on October 27, 2013. AFP PHOTO / VYACHESLAV OSELEDKO (Photo should read VYACHESLAV OSELEDKO /AFP via Getty Images)
Vyacheslav Oseledko | afp | Getty Images
State Department spokesman Ned Price said the Biden administration is in the strategy of summoning Russia’s ambassador to the US Anatoly Antonov to debate “brazen violations of international law.”
“In the first place, we engaged at a high level with our allies and partners to tell them of this incident and allow them to know what we all know,” Price said during a conference call with reporters.
“We re-engage directly with the Russians at higher echelons to precise our strong opposition to this dangerous, unprofessional interception that resulted in the downing of a U.S. drone,” he added.
The Russian embassy in Washington didn’t immediately reply to CNBC’s request for comment.
The MQ-9 drone system is designed for intelligence gathering and reconnaissance missions and is manufactured by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems.
The remotely piloted system can carry a combination of Hellfire missiles, Joint Direct Attack Munitions or JDAMs. US Air Force Pentagon spokesman Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder declined to say whether the drone was armed.