Russian fighter jets hit an unmanned US military drone, forcing it down into the Black Sea in international waters

By

The Pentagon reported Tuesday that a Russian fighter jet struck the propeller of a US drone over the Black Sea, damaging its propeller and causing it to crash into international waters.

The United States Military Command in Europe explained in a statement that two Russian Su-27 aircraft "intercepted in a manner that was neither safe nor professional" an MQ-9 drone operating within international airspace.

One of the Russian fighters, according to the statement, struck the drone's propeller, causing the Pentagon to shoot down the MQ-9 in international waters.

Before the collision, the Russian planes dumped fuel and flew in front of the drone in a "reckless" and "unprofessional" manner, according to the statement, which demonstrates "the lack of competence" and an unsafe and unprofessional attitude of the Russian pilots.