These images shed new light on the collision of an American drone and a Russian fighter on Tuesday afternoon over the Black Sea. The Command of American Forces in Europe broadcast the images of this incident which caused the loss of the device and above all increased tensions between the United States and Russia, more than a year after its invasion of Ukraine.
This video, 42 seconds long, and filmed from a camera installed on the belly of the MQ-9 Reaper shows one of the two Russian fighters in question evolving against a background of blue sky. Approaching, the Russian SU-27 begins to release kerosene, probably to damage the American aircraft. But the images show that the hunter rams the MQ-9 Reaper, forcing its pilots to damage it at sea.
According to the US Air Force, the Russian struck a propeller located at the rear of the drone.
VIDEO. Images of the American drone shot down by the Russians over the Black Sea
According to the American Defense, the collision caused the interruption for one minute of the communication with the drone. On the image, pixels appear, before its fall in the international waters of the Black Sea.
Russia “will now react proportionally to any provocation”
On Wednesday evening, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said one of the causes of the incident was the “strengthening” of American spy operations.
“The causes of the incident are the non-observance by the United States of the flight restriction zone announced by Russia and established as a result of the conduct of the special military operation (in Ukraine), as well as the reinforcement intelligence activities against the interests of Russia,” said the minister, quoted in a press release from his ministry.
“Russia does not want such a development of events but it will now react proportionally to any provocation”, adds the text.
The Reaper MQ-9 fell in international waters after being hit, according to Washington, by a Russian fighter. Moscow admits the interception of the aircraft by its fighter jets but denies any contact that would have led to the crash.
Russia argues that the drone had entered, off the Crimean peninsula annexed in 2014, a no-fly zone that it itself decreed for its operation in Ukraine.
“I cannot speak at this stage of a motive or an intention (on the part of the Russians, editor’s note), but what I can say very clearly is that it was a thoughtless action and dangerous,” said Secretary of State Antony Blinken, visiting Addis Ababa.