Meanwhile, Commander of United States Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa James Hecker claimed that the US drone "was conducting routine operations in international airspace when it was intercepted and hit by a Russian aircraft, resulting in a crash and complete loss of the MQ-9."
The US asserted that two Russian Su-27s "dumped fuel on and flew in front of the MQ-9 in a reckless, environmentally unsound and unprofessional manner" ahead of the clash. The Russian side is yet to comment on the incident.
MNA/PR