Russia

Watch: Dramatic footage shows seconds leading up to Russian jet collision with US drone

Watch: The seconds leading up to a Russian fighter jet crashing into a US drone.

Footage has emerged showing the moment a Russian fighter jet crashed into a US drone above the Black Sea.

The footage also shows the Russian jet 'fuel dumping', a tactic used to reduce the aircraft's weight in order for it to be able to land quickly.

The footage shows one aircraft fuel dumping before narrowly missing the drone before a second SU-27 fighter jet flies in and collides with the drone.

Earlier this week, a defence analyst told Forces News the Russian pilot was lucky to be alive, adding the incident seemed more of a mistake than a deliberate attack.

Professor Michael Clarke, former director of RUSI, said he was "99% certain" it was an "accident caused by pilot error".

A statement from the US European Command said prior to the collision, two Russian military Su-27 aircraft conducted an "unsafe and unprofessional intercept" with the US Air Force MQ-9 aircraft operating over the Black Sea.

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