[3] The Russian Defense Ministry said no aircraft touched and no weapons were used,[4] however it rewarded pilots with medals for "preventing" an American drone from "violating Russia's temporary airspace".

[8] According to a map released by the US Air Force the collision and subsequent crash took place in the Black Sea to the southwest of Crimea.

[11] On several occasions before the collision, Russian fighters dumped fuel on the MQ-9 —possibly in an attempt to blind or damage it— and flew in front of the drone in unsafe maneuvers, the U.S. military said.

[15] After its propeller was damaged, the drone flew as a glider while descending over the Black Sea, crashing in international waters southwest of Crimea.

[19] By the night (EDT) of 15 March 2023, unnamed U.S. officials told ABC News that Russian ships had arrived at the crash site and may have likely picked up pieces of the wreckage.

"The Russian fighters did not use their airborne weapons, did not make contact with the drone, and returned safely to their home airfield", the defense ministry said.