The American-Russian stand-off continues to rise as a MQ-9 surveillance drone was shot down on Tuesday by a Russian Su-27 jet intercept over the Black Sea. According to the Pentagon, the propeller was made inoperable, deepening already tense relations between the U.S. and Russia. However, Russian Defense ministry blamed "sharp maneuvering" by the drone as the cause of the crash.

U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley estimated that the drone likely broke apart and sunk to "significant depths" when it crashed, making any recovery operations challenging. Russia later announced they would attempt to salvage the drone and its wreckage, though it would be difficult to retrieve. Milley also stated they are confident in the drones secure protocol, adding that “whatever was of value is no longer of value”.

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