Russian jet collides with US drone over Black Sea
- A Russian Su-27 jet fighter collided with an American MQ-9 Reaper drone over the Black Sea
The European Command of the US military informed on Tuesday, that a Russian Su-27 jet fighter collided with an American MQ-9 Reaper drone over the Black Sea on Tuesday, news agency AFP reported.
"Our MQ-9 aircraft was conducting routine operations in international airspace when it was intercepted and hit by a Russian aircraft, resulting in a crash and complete loss of the MQ-9," said US Air Force General James Hecker, commander of US Air Forces Europe and Air Forces Africa.
"In fact, this unsafe and unprofessional act by the Russians nearly caused both aircraft to crash."
The American armed forces stated that the occurrence was consistent with a trend of risky conduct exhibited by Russian aviators when operating in close proximity to aircraft flown by the United States and its partners, even over the Black Sea. This sea, which separates Europe and Asia, is surrounded by several nations, including Russia and Ukraine.
The collision came at a time when the relationship between the US and Russia is already sensitive in the backdrop of the Russia-Ukraine war. It is also a day after the United States unveiled some details around a trilateral security pact with UK and Australia AUKUS, under which America is set to provide nuclear-capable submarines to Australia.
Earlier, Russia joined China to condemn the US-led security pact with Russian Foreign minister Sergei Lavrov calling it an advancement of NATO military infrastructure.
"The Anglo-Saxon world, with the creation of structures like AUKUS and with the advancement of NATO military infrastructures into Asia, is making a serious bet on many years of confrontation," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in televised comments.
A recent report from the US Annual Threat Assessment also said that that Russian President Vladimir Putin may drag US-led West to Ukraine war in an effort to win back public support.
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First Published:14 Mar 2023, 10:51 PM IST
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