US releases footage of Russian Su-27 collision with american drone over Black Sea

The video was posted by POLITICO reporter Lara Seligman.

Declassified footage has been released of a Russian Su-27 intercepting a US Air Force MQ-9 drone in international airspace over the Black Sea on March 14.

At the beginning of the video, a Russian Su-27 fighter jet starts dumping fuel as it flies over the drone and then crashes into it. After that, the propeller is seen to be intact.

However, at the 24th second, the Russian plane flies over the drone for the second time, also dumping fuel, and collides with the MQ-9. The camera loses connection.

In another part of the video, it is noticeable that one of the propeller blades has been damaged.

As a result of the incident, the United States sank the drone, but still cannot find it.

BREAKING: DoD releases footage of a Russian Su-27 colliding into a U.S. MQ-9 over the Black Sea Tuesday.

You can see the Russian aircraft dump fuel on the MQ-9, then bump into it. The video is lost; a few seconds later the feed returns and you can see the propeller is damaged. pic.twitter.com/jzF7NZ1em5

— Lara Seligman (@laraseligman) March 16, 2023

• On March 14, in international airspace over the Black Sea, a Russian Su-27 fighter jet collided with an American MQ-9 Reaper drone. The drone was shot down as a result of the incident. After the incident, the United States began negotiations with Russia at the "highest level" and summoned the Russian ambassador to Washington.

• Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov said after the incident with the US drone that Moscow does not want a confrontation with the United States, but "American aircraft have no business being near the Russian border."

• On March 15, the White House said that the drone incident would not prevent the United States from flying over the Black Sea.

• The Kremlin was aware of the attack on the American military drone, as the aggressive actions of Russian fighters had been approved in advance by the leadership.