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Russia awards pilots involved in confrontation with a U.S. drone over Black Sea

In a screen grab of a video clip released by the U.S. Defense Department's European Command, a Russian Su-27 fighter jet flies near a U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drone, spraying it with what appears to be jet fuel, on Mar. 14 over the Black Sea. Handout/US Defense Department European C hide caption

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Handout/US Defense Department European C

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Russia awards pilots involved in confrontation with a U.S. drone over Black Sea

March 17, 2023 • The United States accused Russia of an "unsafe" and "unprofessional" intercept of its MQ-9 Reaper surveillance drone that forced it to be brought down over the Black Sea this week

The U.S. military releases footage of Black Sea drone crash with Russian jet

A Russian Su-27 fighter jet releases fuel as it approaches the rear of a U.S. Air Force MQ-9, in what the Pentagon says was "an unsafe and unprofessional intercept" over the Black Sea. U.S. European Command video / Screenshot by NPR hide caption

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U.S. European Command video / Screenshot by NPR

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The U.S. military releases footage of Black Sea drone crash with Russian jet

March 16, 2023 • The 42-second video comes two days after the Pentagon accused a Russian aircraft of colliding with an uncrewed MQ-9 Reaper drone. The Kremlin has denied that it intentionally downed the vehicle.

The U.S. military releases footage of Black Sea drone crash with Russian jet

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