Tensions rise as US drone flights resume over Black Sea after collision with Russia.

The US has resumed its drone flights over the Black Sea after a Russian jet hit and crashed a US drone earlier this week. The incident did not affect regular operations in the region, according to military officials. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin criticized the Russian military for its actions, calling it a "pattern of aggressive and risky and unsafe actions by Russian pilots in international airspace." Russia denied the aircraft touched one another and accused the US of unnecessarily escalating the issue. The Ministry of Defense commended the pilots responsible for downing the US drone and preventing it from violating the boundaries of the temporary airspace regime established for the special military operation.