The United States protested via diplomatic channels, after a Russian fighter jet caused the crash of an American surveillance drone yesterday in the international airspace above the Black Sea. According to the American Air Forces in Europe, two Su-27 planes intercepted the unmanned drone and one of them hit its propeller. The American authorities refrained from explicitly accusing an intentional act, but drew the attention of the Russians that such aggressive maneuvers can lead to military escalations. Instead, the Ministry of Defense in Moscow claimed that its planes did hit the American drone, which allegedly crashed due to sudden maneuvers and loss of altitude. Russia says the US drone came close to the Crimean Peninsula, which it considers its territory.
RRI
