(NewsNation) — 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.
The drone was reportedly conducting a surveillance mission over the Black Sea in international airspace.
The Pentagon reported that the two Russian jets flew around the drone multiple times for around 30 to 40 minutes before one of them hit the MQ-9.
The Russian Defense Ministry said the U.S. drone was flying near Russia’s border and in an area declared off-limits by Russian authorities. The ministry claimed its aircraft struggled to intercept the drone but did not use its weapons or come into contact with it.
Russian authorities said Wednesday that they will try to recover the fragments of the drone. But National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told CNN that the Reaper crashed into very deep water and he was not sure whether recovery was possible.
Retired Lt. Gen. Richard Newton, a NewsNation military contributor, said the U.S. will likely continue to see increased Russian military aggression. However, he said it is imperative that the U.S. doesn’t let this incident escalate into something greater.
“This was was unsafe, it’s unprofessional, it was reckless on the part of the Russian fighter pilots,” Newton said.
However, he said the U.S. cannot let this escalate. Newton explained it’s a tactic that the Russians are using to draw the U.S. into further conflict.
“Their backs are against the wall in Ukraine, they’re now willing to raise their game, if you will, of more aggressive behavior to kind of draw us into more of an intense confrontation,” he said.
National security and political analyst Paul Rieckhoff said it’s important to monitor Russian President Vladimir Putin’s every move, because Putin doesn’t play by the rules.
“We have to prepare for the unexpected,” he said. “This is what could happen on any given day, not just over seas, but anywhere in Europe.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
