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posted ago by jmarie8408 ago by jmarie8408 +27 / -0

A Russian Su-27 jet collided with a U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drone over the Black Sea Tuesday, a U.S. defense official told Fox News

The jet in question was one of two Su-27's flying in tandem when the collision occurred in international airspace over international waters. The propeller to the drone was damaged and the drone landed in the Black Sea, west of Crimea, the U.S. defense official told Fox News.

An MQ-9 Reaper remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) is parked in a hanger at Creech Air Force Base on Nov. 17, 2015, in Indian Springs, Nevada. An MQ-9 Reaper remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) is parked in a hanger at Creech Air Force Base on Nov. 17, 2015, in Indian Springs, Nevada.

The Russian Su-27 was headed toward Crimea and landed there after this incident, the official added. It is unknown if there was any damage to the Su-27.

U.S. European Command and U.S. Air Forces Europe issued a statement on the incident in which they reported the events leading up to the collision and admonished the Russian military for "a pattern of dangerous actions" in international airspace.

The statement reads, "At approximately 7:03 AM (CET), one of the Russian Su-27 aircraft struck the propeller of the MQ-9, causing U.S. forces to have to bring the MQ-9 down in international waters. Several times before the collision, the Su-27s dumped fuel on and flew in front of the MQ-9 in a reckless, environmentally unsound and unprofessional manner. This incident demonstrates a lack of competence in addition to being unsafe and unprofessional."

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