On Tuesday, the US military reported that a Russian fighter jet had forced a US Air Force drone to land over the Black Sea. The MQ-9 Reaper drone was flying with two Russian Su-27 aircraft in international airspace when one of the Russian jets deliberately flew close to the drone and repeatedly dumped fuel on it.

The Russian aircraft then collided with the propeller of the US drone, causing it to be brought down in international waters. According to Pentagon spokesman Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder, the Russian aircraft had been in close proximity to the drone for around 30 to 40 minutes prior to the collision.

Air Force Gen. James B. Hecker, commander of US Air Forces Europe and Air Forces Africa, stated that the MQ-9 drone had been carrying out routine operations when it was hit by the Russian aircraft. The incident was characterized as an unsafe and unprofessional act by the Russian military, and it nearly caused a crash between the two aircraft.

This marks the first physical contact between Russian and US military aircraft since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine over a year ago. The incident has the potential to increase tensions between the two nations. The US military has called Russia’s actions “reckless, environmentally unsound, and unprofessional.”

Russian Ambassador to the US, Anatoly Antonov, was summoned to the State Department following the downing of the drone. Antonov emphasized that Russia does not want any confrontation with the US and expressed a preference for avoiding unintended incidents or clashes between the two nations.

During the meeting, Assistant Secretary Karen Donfried conveyed the US’ concerns about the incident. Antonov acknowledged differences between the two sides and stated that they had exchanged remarks in a constructive conversation. He expressed hope that Donfried had understood his position on the matter.