Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Mary-Kate Findon

Watch: Pentagon hold press briefing after Russian fighter jet forces down US drone

Getty

Watch as the US Department of Defence holds a press briefing after a Russian fighter jet forced down a US drone.

Pentagon press secretary Air Force brigadier general Pat Ryder is holding the briefing, with Mara Karlin also joining.

Karlin performs the duties of deputy undersecretary of defence for policy.

US officials on Tuesday said that Russian fighter jets forced a US drone flying over international waters in the Black Sea out of the sky.

Speaking to CNN, US Air Force general James B Hecker said a pair of Russian Su-27 aircraft performed a “reckless, environmentally unsound and unprofessional” set of manoeuvres.

This, he said, dumped fuel and damaged the propeller of a US Air Force MQ-9 “Reaper” drone, forcing the US to bring down the unmanned craft.

“In fact, this unsafe and unprofessional act by the Russians nearly caused both aircraft to crash,” he said.

Sign up for our newsletters.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.