US drone crashes after collision with Russian jet over Black Sea - US military

A US MQ-9 Reaper drone was lost in the Black Sea. Picture: Malaury Buis/EMA/DICOD via AP, File)

A Russian fighter jet struck the propeller of a US surveillance drone over the Black Sea in a “brazen violation of international law”, causing American forces to bring down the unmanned aerial vehicle, the US has said.

Moscow said the US drone manoeuvred sharply and crashed into water following an encounter with Russian fighter jets scrambled to intercept it near Crimea, but insisted its warplanes did not fire their weapons or hit the drone.