Russian jet forces down U.S. drone conducting surveillance over Black Sea

Geoff Bennett:

Good evening, and welcome to the "NewsHour."

There is a new flash point today in the ever-worsening relationship between the United States and Russia.

Amna Nawaz:

The U.S. says an American drone was harassed in the Black Sea and then bumped by a Russian fighter jet, forcing the drone down into the waters below.

Foreign affairs correspondent Nick Schifrin has been following all of this and joins us here.

Nick, good to see you.

Nick Schifrin:

Good to see you.

Amna Nawaz:

So, what more do we know about exactly how this collision occurred?

Nick Schifrin:

U.S. officials say this drone left its base in Eastern Europe on what the U.S. assumed was going to be a routine surveillance flight over the Black Sea.

The U.S. sends these drones into the Black Sea there routinely because they can see into Russian-occupied Crimea and, depending on where they are, into Russia itself. And a reminder, MQ-9 are big. They're 60-feet-wide. They're 35-feet-long. They weigh 5,000 pounds.

Now, a military official tells me that this drone was unarmed. These drones in the Black Sea have been harassed intermittently by Russia before, but never what we saw today. Never has a U.S. jet — sorry — Russian jet harassed a drone for 30 minutes, then dumped fuel on the drone, then actually ran into the drone.

Let's listen to Department of Defense spokesman Brigadier General Pat Ryder earlier today.

BRIG. GEN. PATRICK RYDER, Pentagon Press Secretary:

While intercepts, in and of themselves, are not that uncommon, the fact that this type of behavior from these Russian pilots, that is uncommon and unfortunate and unsafe.

Nick Schifrin:

A U.S. official who watched the video of this incident goes much further. He told me that this was not a controlled tap. The Russian pilot was barreling toward the drone, out of control, tried to pull away from the from the drone, and that's when the Russian jet actually hit the back of it.

This person tells me — quote — "This was not something you would see a professional pilot do," called it amateur hour.

Geoff Bennett:

So, Nick, how serious is this latest incident, in light of the existing tensions between the U.S. and Russia over the war in Ukraine?

Nick Schifrin:

On the one hand, it's very serious because it just doesn't happen. This is certainly the first incident of physical contact between the U.S. and Russian militaries since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

But, frankly, it's believed to be the first contact in decades between the U.S. and Russian militaries. On the other hand, this was not a manned aircraft. We're not talking about a Russian jet threatening a U.S. pilot. And the administration's is trying to keep it within the diplomatic lane.

The Russian ambassador to the U.S. has been summoned to the State Department. The U.S. ambassador to Moscow visited the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Moscow this afternoon. John Kirby, the NSC staff spokesman, said: "If the message that Russia is sending is trying to deter us from flying over the Black Sea, that will fail."

But Geoff, if there was a consequence to Russia right now, the U.S. will say — will not say what that is.

Geoff Bennett:

Nick Schifrin, thanks so much for that reporting.

Nick Schifrin:

Thank you.