A Russian aircraft collided with an unmanned U.S. system over the Black Sea on Tuesday.

Two Russian Su-27 aircraft dumped fuel on and in front of a U.S. Air Force MQ-9 unmanned aircraft "several times" before one of them struck its propeller causing U.S. forces to bring it down in international waters, according to a statement from U.S. European Command.

"Our MQ-9 aircraft was conducting routine operations in international airspace when it was intercepted and hit by a Russian aircraft, resulting in a crash and complete loss of the MQ-9," U.S. Air Force Gen. James B. Hecker, commander, U.S. Air Forces Europe and Air Forces Africa, said. "In fact, this unsafe and unprofessional act by the Russians nearly caused both aircraft to crash."

"U.S. and Allied aircraft will continue to operate in international airspace and we call on the Russians to conduct themselves professionally and safely," Hecker added.

President Joe Biden was briefed on the incident by National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, NSC coordinator John Kirby told reporters.

EUCOM said this incident follows a pattern of dangerous behavior by Russian pilots.

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Last month, the Alaskan Region of North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) tracked and intercepted four Russian aircraft that were entering and operating within the Alaska Air Defense Identification (ADIZ) two days in a row. NORAD said at the time the activity near the North American ADIZ was "not seen as a threat, nor is the activity seen as provocative."

Kirby also noted that “it’s not an uncommon occurrence” for such intercepts but said “this one obviously is noteworthy because of how unsafe and unprofessional” it was.