The escalating drone conflict between Russia and the US.

Russia awarded state honors to the fighter pilots who brought down a US surveillance drone over the Black Sea, marking the first known direct military encounter between Russia and the US since the start of the Ukraine war. The US military described the incident as "reckless," while Russia claimed that the drone had been flying with its transponders turned off and violating airspace restrictions. The incident marked a new low point in relations between Washington and Moscow.