The European Command of the U.S. Army released declassified footage this Thursday detailing the incident involving a Russian Su-27 fighter and the crash of a U.S. Air Force MQ-9 drone and an accompanying unmanned vessel over Black Sea waters.
According to a statement from U.S. European Command, the video captures the moment a Russian aircraft intercepted the MQ-9 drone in an unsafe and unprofessional manner in international airspace above the Black Sea on March 14. The release includes a storyboard illustrating how the events unfolded, with a second Russian fighter appearing later and amplifying tensions between Washington and Moscow amid the ongoing Ukraine conflict.
The footage describes the sequence as a Russian aircraft initially approaches from behind the MQ-9. Shortly afterward, the Kremlin jet releases fuel into the drone’s path and then flies over the drone’s position, a maneuver described in the narration as a deliberate risk to the mission.
Minutes later the same Su-27 returns for a second pass, releasing fuel again and moving closer to the drone. In the ensuing moments, the two aircraft come into contact, and the MQ-9’s camera feed abruptly fails. The clip notes a roughly 60-second transmission loss before the feed resumes, revealing damage to the drone’s propeller and one of its support structures.
Following the encounter, U.S. authorities stated that the drone was compelled to descend into Black Sea waters and attributed the incident to deliberate actions by the Russian forces. Moscow’s defense ministry, however, denied any direct contact with the drone and framed the event as the result of an unexpected loss of control that led to a fall into the sea.
The confrontation occurred near the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea, a region where Moscow has shown strong resistance to NATO maritime and aerial surveillance operations. The event has drawn international attention as tensions remain high over regional security and activity in international airspace.
Both sides have continued to present competing narratives regarding responsibility and intent, underscoring the fragility of air safety protocols in contested waters. Analysts note that such incidents have the potential to escalate rapidly and emphasize the importance of clear rules of engagement and recovery procedures for unmanned systems in sensitive regions. In the years since the Crimea annexation, airspace incidents have become more frequent, prompting calls for greater transparency and adherence to international norms in border areas. The public release by the U.S. European Command aims to provide a documented account of the incident and to reinforce the commitment to accountability in military operations over international waters. The situation remains a focal point in discussions about NATO’s posture and regional sovereignty, with ongoing monitoring from allied observers and international bodies. (Citation: U.S. European Command)