The Pentagon has released video footage showing what they claim is two Russian Su-27 aircraft in an “unsafe and unprofessional” intercept of one of their MQ-9 reconnaissance drones. The incident, which downed the unmanned aircraft in the Black Sea after an alleged collision, occurred on the morning of 14 March 2023. The drone was operating in international airspace and crashed into international waters. U.S. officials state that the Russian Su-27s dumped fuel upon and struck the propeller of the MQ-9, causing it to be brought down. In contrast, Russian officials claimed the drone crashed after a "sharp manoeuvre" and denied that the two aircraft made contact. The incident comes at a time when tensions between the U.S. and the Kremlin are high due to Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine and U.S. aid to the latter.