(Reuters) – March 17 (Reuters) – The Pentagon released a video that it said provided evidence a Russian fighter jet clipped the propeller of a U.S. spy drone and caused it to crash into the Black Sea this week, despite Russia’s denial.
U.S. DRONE INCIDENT
* In the 40-second video, a Russian Su-27 fighter jet comes very close to the drone and dumps what U.S. officials say was jet fuel near it in an apparent effort to damage the American aircraft as it flew over the Black Sea.
* It also shows the loss of the video feed after a second pass by a Russian jet.
* Russia has denied any collision took place and said the drone crashed after making “sharp manoeuvres”, having “provocatively” flown close to Russian air space near Crimea.
* The White House said the footage showed Russia was lying about what happened. “It’s pretty darn obvious when you look at that video that fighter jet hit our drone,” White House spokesperson John Kirby told reporters.
FIGHTING, POLITICS
* In eastern Ukraine, Kyiv’s forces continued to withstand Russian assaults on the now-ruined city of Bakhmut. Reuters reporters roughly 1.5 km (1 mile) from the front lines could hear the constant boom of artillery and the crackle of small arms fire.
* The situation for Russian forces trying to capture the Bakhmut is “difficult” because there are no signs Kyiv is ready to order a withdrawal of its troops, the Russian-installed leader of Ukraine’s Donetsk region said.
* A U.N.-mandated investigative body said Russian forces had committed wide-ranging war crimes in Ukraine such as wilful killings and torture. Russia dismissed the report.
ECONOMY, DIPLOMACY
* President Vladimir Putin, meeting members of Russia’s business elite for the first time since the invasion, urged them to invest in their country to help it weather what he called the West’s “sanctions war”.
* Poland will send Ukraine four MiG-29 fighter jets in coming days, making it the first of Kyiv’s allies to provide such aircraft.
* The United Nations backed Turkey and Ukraine by calling for a 120-day rollover of an agreement allowing the safe export of grain from several Ukrainian Black Sea ports after Russia said it would only extend the pact for 60 days.
* China said it was concerned about an escalation of the war, and hoped Moscow and Kyiv would hold peace talks.
(Compiled by Reuters editors)
