US accuses Russia of 'recklessness' after jet collides with US drone over the Black Sea

Washington has summoned Russia's ambassador to the US to the State Department to express its "strong objection" after a Russian fighter jet struck an American surveillance drone over the Black Sea on Tuesday, causing US forces to bring the drone down in international waters. 

"What we saw, again, were fighter aircraft dumping fuel in front of this UAV and then getting so close to the aircraft that it actually damaged the propeller on the MQ-9," said Pentagon Press Secretary, Pat Ryder.

"Because of the damage, we were in a position to have to essentially crash it into the Black Sea," he added.

In a statement, the US military described Russia's intercept as "reckless, environmentally unsound, and unprofessional," adding that "aggressive actions by Russian aircrew are dangerous and could lead to miscalculation and unintended escalation.”

Russia's Ambassador to the US, Anatoly Antonov, was later summoned to the state department. Beforehand, he justified the actions of the Russian pilots, claiming that the US would have reacted similarly if the situation was reversed. 

"This drone can carry 1,700 kilos of explosives. This drone can carry a few bombs. You'll see what will be the action of the United States if you see such a Russian drone very close, for example, to San Francisco or New York, what will be the reaction of the United States? For me, it's clear," Antonov said. 

In a press briefing, US diplomatic spokesman, Ned Price called the incident a "brazen violation of international law."

He added that the US ambassador in Moscow had also conveyed Washington's protests in a message to the Russian Foreign Ministry.

The US military says a Russian jet Su-27 jet collided with the unmanned aerial vehicle over the Black Sea, forcing the