The U.S. military claimed a Russian fighter plane clipped the propeller of one of its spy drones, causing it to crash into the Black Sea.

Russia’s defense ministry described Tuesday’s encounter as a “provocation” involving a U.S. MQ-9 drone and a Russian Su-27 fighter plane.

Although not actively involved in the fight, the U.S.S. has provided Ukraine with tens of billions of dollars in military aid and performs regular surveillance flights.

The Ukrainian Military stated Wednesday that Russia had attacked dozens of settlements along the eastern front in the past 24 hours, including a rocket attack on a civil infrastructure in Kherson that killed civilians.

Russia denies targeting people.

On Tuesday night, Ukrainian President Voldoymyr Zelenskiy stated military commanders were unanimously in favor of defending the eastern front line, including the wrecked city of Bakhmut, which Russia has besieged for months.

“The main focus was… Bakhmut,” Zelenskiy added in his nightly video message. “The entire command agreed: Strengthen this area and destroy the occupiers to the fullest.”

Zelenskiy fired the governors of Luhansk, Odesa, and Khmelnytskyi. The government’s parliamentarian gave no rationale.

Russia was “on the attack” in the eastern Donetsk region, with combat raging around Kreminna and other towns north of Bakhmut, according to Ukrainian Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Malyar.

She told Ukrainian television that Bakhmut’s defense was crucial because “vast amounts of enemy material are being destroyed… A great number of people are being killed and as of today, the enemy’s capacity to advance is being weakened.”

With losses rising, Russian MPs recommended amending the citizenship statute to strip acquired citizenship for treason and discrediting the Kremlin’s “special military operation” in Ukraine.

ThU.N.U.N. and Turkey said talks continued to prolong a grain shipment pact from Ukraine’s Black Sea ports that expires this week. Ukraine rejected Russia’s 60-day renewal, half the previous renewal.

Two Russian Su-27 aircraft recklessly intercepted U.S.e U.S. spy drone in international airspace. In addition, the Russian fighter jets poured gasoline on the MQ-9 and flew dangerously in front of it, potentially to blind or destroy itU.S.e U.S. military claimed one of the jets crashed the drone at 7:03 a.m. (0603 GMT) after 30 to 40 minutes.

The Military claimed Russia had not recovered the drone and the jet was likely damaged.

“In fact, this risky and unprofessional act by the Russians nearly caused both planes to crash,” said regU.S.l U.S. Air Force General James Hecker.

The UAV fell after “sharp manoeuvring,” according to Russia’s military ministry. The drone was found in Crimea, which Moscow took from Ukraine in 2014.

Spokesman Ned Price said the State Department called Russian Ambassador Anatoly Antonov to discuss what happened.

Antonov said saiU.S.the U.S. plane “deliberately and provocatively” flew toward Russia with its transponders off on the embassy website early Wednesday.

Antonov expressed alarm about oU.S.the U.S. military’s irresponsible behavior near our borders. “They gather intelligence for the Kyiv regime to attack our forces and land.”

The Black Sea event, bordered by Russia, Ukraine, and others, could not be independently verified.

“Very critical point in this war because it truly is the first direct contact that the public knows about between the West and Russia,” said Washington-based American Enterprise Institute senior scholar Elisabeth Braw.

Putin claims he invaded Ukraine to safeguard Russia from a hostile West intent on pushing into historically Russian regions.

Ukraine and its Western allies say Russia is waging an unjustified war of conquest that has wrecked Ukrainian cities, killed hundreds, and displaced millions.