US says Russian jet caused spy drone crash over Black Sea, Moscow denies collision
The US military said a Russian fighter plane clipped the propeller of one of its spy drones and made it crash into the Black Sea in the first such direct encounter between the two powers since Russia invaded Ukraine over a year ago.
- Mar 15, 2023,
- Updated Mar 15, 2023 3:09 PM IST
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One of the primary uses of the MQ-9 drone is for targeted strikes against enemy targets. Equipped with Hellfire missiles, the drone is capable of accurately targeting and destroying enemy positions, vehicles, and personnel.
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A US Air Force MQ-9 Reaper drone sits in a hanger at Amari Air Base, Estonia. The MQ-9 drone has been used extensively in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, where it has proven to be an effective tool for both targeted strikes and ISR missions. (REUTERS/Janis Laizans)
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A U.S. Air Force MQ-9 Reaper drone sits in a hanger at Amari Air Base, Estonia, July 1, 2020. U.S. unmanned aircraft are deployed in Estonia to support NATO's intelligence gathering missions in the Baltics. REUTERS/Janis LaizansRead less
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Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy attends a joint news briefing with U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine. (REUTERS/Alina Yarysh)
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Russian Deputy Defence Minister Anatoly Antonov arrives for a news briefing on the situation in Syria, at the Russian Defense Ministry in Moscow, Russia. (REUTERS/Maxim Zmeyev)
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Russian President Vladimir Putin is seen inside a cabin of helicopter simulator training as he visits aviation plant in Ulan-Ude, Buryatia republic, Russia. (Sputnik/Mikhail Metzel/Pool via REUTERS)
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Ukrainian service members load a shell to a mortar before firing towards Russian troops outside the frontline town of Bakhmut, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Donetsk region, Ukraine. (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty/Serhii Nuzhnenko via REUTERS)
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A Ukrainian serviceman, call sign "Black", 34, of the 110th Battalion, handles a drone during an exercise, as Russia's attack on Ukraine continues, in an undisclosed location near the frontline town of Kreminna, Ukraine. (REUTERS/Violeta Santos Moura)