Footage Shows Moment Russian Jet Collided With U.S. Drone Over Black Sea

Topline

The U.S. Military released footage Thursday of what it said is a Russian fighter jet intercepting a U.S. drone over the Black Sea, an incident that’s heightened tensions between the U.S. and Moscow amid the war in Ukraine and comes amid reports that Moscow intentionally approved the collision.

Key Facts

The 42-second video, which was released by U.S. European Command and edited for length, shows the Russian aircraft flying twice over the MQ-9 drone and dumping fuel on it before the footage then briefly cuts out as the two aircrafts collide, which resulted in the drone’s propellor getting damaged and it landing in the Black Sea.

A U.S. official told CNN the video “absolutely confirms” the Russian jet struck the drone, after Moscow had previously claimed the U.S. drone’s failure was the result of a “sharp maneuver” and its aircraft did not actually collide with the drone.

White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said following the incident that while such intercepts are “not uncommon” over the Black Sea, this one was “noteworthy because of how unsafe and unprofessional it was … in causing the downing of one of our aircraft.”

The U.S. has said the drone was “conducting routine operations in international airspace” at the time of the collision, and vowed Tuesday that it will “continue to operate in international airspace.”

Citing unnamed U.S. officials, NBC News reported Thursday the “highest levels of the Kremlin” had approved the fighter jet going after the U.S. drone, after the U.S. had previously speculated the incident might have been an act of recklessness rather than being intentional.

Russia has called the U.S. drone flights “a provocation,” with Russian ambassador Anatoly Antonov saying, “The unacceptable activity of the U.S. military in the close proximity to our borders is a cause for concern” to Moscow.

What To Watch For

Both the U.S. and Russia are now working to recover the drone from the Black Sea, though Kirby told CNN Wednesday he was “not sure” the U.S. would be able to recover it given the deep water in that part of the sea. U.S. officials told CNN it had wiped the drone of any sensitive information to prevent it from getting into enemy hands if the aircraft was recovered. Russian security council secretary Nikolai Patrushev said Wednesday Russia was working to find the aircraft, saying it “has to be done.” Ukrainian officials said Wednesday they believe the Black Sea “will not be a safe place” and incidents like this will continue to take place as long as Russia controls the Crimean peninsula, which is surrounded by the Black Sea.

Key Background

The drone incident comes amid what’s already been a period of heightened tensions between the U.S. and Russia, as the U.S. has vowed to continue helping Ukraine in its war against Russia for “as long as it takes” and issued a fresh wave of Russian sanctions in response to the one-year mark of the war. The U.S. and other Western allies have deliberately stayed out of the fighting even as they’ve supplied Ukraine with military aid, however, hoping not to further escalate the war. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and other U.S. officials have spoken with their Russian counterparts for the first time in months as a result of the aircraft collision, the Associated Press reported Thursday, noting the fact the conversations took place so quickly “underscored its seriousness” in possibly inflaming conflict between the two countries. While the U.S. has insisted it was flying over international waters, the Black Sea has been a key region in Russia’s war with Ukraine, and Russia focused its military energies during the war on areas like the port city of Kherson and the Ukraine-held Snake Island in the Black Sea.

Further Viewing

Watch the footage here.

Further Reading

Black Sea Drone: More Crashes ‘Inevitable’ As Long As Russia Controls Crimea, Ukraine Minister Says (Forbes)

Russian Jet Crashes Into U.S. Drone Over Black Sea, U.S. Military Says (Forbes)

US drone downing: Russia will try to retrieve remnants of drone (BBC)

Russian jet intercepts US drone over Black Sea, forcing it down (The Hill)

Russian leadership approved aggressive actions of jets that damaged U.S. drone, U.S. officials say (NBC News)