The Pentagon says 2 Russian SU-27 aircraft conducted what it called an "unsafe and unprofessional" intercept on an unmanned American drone over international waters in the Black Sea.
Press secretary Air Force Brigadier General Pat Ryder wouldn't confirm whether or not the US MQ-9 craft was armed.
He said one of the Russian jets struck one of the drone's propellers, causing US forces to bring it down in international waters.
IN: "What we saw..."
OUT: "...of these pilots."
DUR: 35 sec
CLIP: http://fsnradionews.com/feeds/0314Pentagon.mp3
The White House's national security council spokesperson John Kirby said President Biden had been briefed on the incident...adding that intercepts of this kind are generally not uncommon.
And State Department Spokesperson Ned Price told reporters the Russian ambassador has been summoned over the incident.
Russia's defence ministry claimed its forces didn't come into contact with the US drone, saying it fell into the sea because of "sharp manoeuvring".
Press secretary Air Force Brigadier General Pat Ryder wouldn't confirm whether or not the US MQ-9 craft was armed.
He said one of the Russian jets struck one of the drone's propellers, causing US forces to bring it down in international waters.
IN: "What we saw..."
OUT: "...of these pilots."
DUR: 35 sec
CLIP: http://fsnradionews.com/feeds/0314Pentagon.mp3
The White House's national security council spokesperson John Kirby said President Biden had been briefed on the incident...adding that intercepts of this kind are generally not uncommon.
And State Department Spokesperson Ned Price told reporters the Russian ambassador has been summoned over the incident.
Russia's defence ministry claimed its forces didn't come into contact with the US drone, saying it fell into the sea because of "sharp manoeuvring".