Ukrinform reported the information.
At the same time, he noted that he could not say that the collision of the Su-27 with the MQ-9 drone over the Black Sea was planned.
"What we do know, and what is clearly evident, is that this was intentional harassment. It was intentional dumping of fuel to try to disrupt the flight profile of that MQ-9," Kirby said.
He also emphasized that it was an "intentionally aggressive, extremely aggressive flying" by Russian aircraft.
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.
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.
On March 16, the U.S. Department of Defense released a video of a Russian Su-27 colliding with an American MQ-9 drone over the Black Sea on Tuesday.
Subsequently, White House National Security Council Coordinator John Kirby said that the Russian pilot's pursuit of the American drone was a deliberate and aggressive act.