Russian fighter jets have collided with a U.S. military drone.
According to a report from The New York Post, two Russian fighter jets collided with an MQ-9 U.S. military drone over the Black Sea on Tuesday; the Russian intercept was “unsafe and unprofessional intercept,” US European Command (EUCOM) said in a statement.
“Several times before the collision, the Su-27s dumped fuel on and flew in front of the MQ-9 in a reckless, environmentally unsound, and unprofessional manner,” EUCOM added.
“This incident demonstrates a lack of competence in addition to being unsafe and unprofessional.”
From The New York Post:
Air Force Gen. James B. Hecker, the commander of US air operations in Europe and Africa, said the drone was carrying out “routine operations in international airspace” and claimed the Russian jet’s actions “nearly caused both aircraft to crash.”
The collision took place just after 7 a.m. local time and follows “a pattern of dangerous actions by Russian pilots while interacting with US and Allied aircraft over international airspace, including over the Black Sea,” according to EUCOM.
President Biden was briefed on the incident by national security adviser Jake Sullivan, a White House spokesperson said Tuesday.
Donald Trump Jr. shared the story on Twitter, highlighting the fact that the military seemed more concerned with the environmental impact than the start of World War III.
“The US Air Force issued a statement accusing the Russian aircraft of acting in a ‘reckless, environmentally unsound and unprofessional manner.’ Environmentally unsound. That’s what they’re worried about. Not the start of WWIII. Trump was right again!”
The US Air Force issued a statement accusing the Russian aircraft of acting in a “reckless, environmentally unsound and unprofessional manner.”
Environmentally unsound. That’s what they’re worried about. Not the start of WWIII.
Trump was right again!
https://t.co/LxJAP5JgbM— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) March 14, 2023