US Reaper drone collides with Russian SU-27 jet over Black Sea

A Russian SU-27 Flanker jet reportedly forced a US Air Force drone to crash by repeatedly colliding into it in mid-air and dumping fuel onto it as they operated over international waters over the Black Sea, off Russia’s coast.

According to an official statement from US European Command (USEUCOM), the Reaper MQ-9 unmanned attack drone was conducting “routine operations” when it was intercepted by two Russian SU-27s.

Each Reaper MQ-9 costs an estimated $32 million.

The official statement claims that the Russians flew in front of the drone and dumped fuel onto it. One of the jets then allegedly collided into the drone, damaging its rear propeller, which forced the drone to crash into the water.

Now confirmed by US European Command: Reaper was brought down after being struck by Russian Su-27 aircraft striking the propeller. https://t.co/CmZEOL861x https://t.co/xWxWOB8Rqr

— Knightsbridge Research (@KBR_Intel) March 14, 2023

The two Russian jets are understood to have landed safely.

“Our MQ-9 aircraft was conducting routine operations in international airspace when it was intercepted and hit by a Russian aircraft, resulting in a crash and complete loss of the MQ-9,” said U.S. Air Force Gen. James B. Hecker. “In fact, this unsafe and unprofessional act by the Russians nearly caused both aircraft to crash.”

“U.S. and Allied aircraft will continue to operate in international airspace and we call on the Russians to conduct themselves professionally and safely,” Hecker added.

The USEUCOM statement further condemned the Russians for flying in a “reckless, environmentally unsound and unprofessional manner.”

Their remarks prompted many on Twitter to ask if it was "environmentally unsound" for the Americans to destroy the Nord Stream pipelines, which they are alleged to have done - based on a report by veteran journalist Seymour Hersh.