By Courtney Kube and Carol E. Lee
— NBC News
Three US intelligence officials say the attack by a Russian fighter against a US drone over international waters in the Black Sea was approved by the highest levels of the Kremlin.
The Russian fighter jet dumped fuel on the unmanned US MQ-9 Reaper, in an unprecedented attack, and two of the officials said Russia's intent was to remove the drone from its trajectory or destroy its spying capabilities.
The "intention of the Russian leadership was to be aggressive in intercepting" the US aircraft, said one of the intelligence officials.
One of the sources claimed that there was no indication that the order had come from Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Other officials declined to provide details beyond that the decision was made "at high levels" in the Kremlin.