Watch: Pentagon hold press briefing after Russian fighter jet forces down US drone

Watch as the US Department of Defence holds a press briefing after a Russian fighter jet forced down a US drone.

Pentagon press secretary Air Force brigadier general Pat Ryder is holding the briefing, with Mara Karlin also joining.

Karlin performs the duties of deputy undersecretary of defence for policy.

US officials on Tuesday said that Russian fighter jets forced a US drone flying over international waters in the Black Sea out of the sky.

Speaking to CNN, US Air Force general James B Hecker said a pair of Russian Su-27 aircraft performed a “reckless, environmentally unsound and unprofessional” set of manoeuvres.

This, he said, dumped fuel and damaged the propeller of a US Air Force MQ-9 “Reaper” drone, forcing the US to bring down the unmanned craft.

“In fact, this unsafe and unprofessional act by the Russians nearly caused both aircraft to crash,” he said.

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