Not Worried About Intelligence Information From Its Drones Falling Into Russia, White House Firmly Warns Moscow: Don't Repeat It Again!

John Kirby. (Wikimedia Commons/US Secretary of Defense)

JAKARTA - United States military reconnaissance unmanned aircraft that crashed in the Black Sea may never be found, White House spokesman John Kirby said on Wednesday after the plane was intercepted by Russian fighter jets, issued a warning not to repeat the same incident.

In the first incident since the Ukraine war began, Russian fighter jet Su-27 hit the drone propeller and left it inoperable, the Pentagon said.

Meanwhile, the Russian Ministry of Defense blamed a "sharp maneuver" of the drone for the crash, saying its jets had not made contact.

"The plane has not been found," Kirby said in an interview with CNN.

"And I'm not sure we will be able to find it. The plane crashed into the Black Sea - a very, very deep water. So we are still assessing whether there is any recovery effort. There may not be any," he continued.

If Russia manages to find the plane, US authorities have taken precautions to ensure their ability to obtain useful intelligence will be limited, Kirby separately told ABC.

"Nevertheless, it belongs to us," Kirby added, and US authorities will continue to explore recovery options.

The incident over international waters on Tuesday is a reminder of the risk of direct confrontation between the United States and Russia over Ukraine, which Moscow was invasing more than a year ago and is backed by Western allies with intelligence and weapons.

In this regard, the US State Department on Tuesday summoned Russia's Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov, to convey US concerns over the incident.

"The message we conveyed to the Russian Ambassador was that they should be more careful in flying in international airspace near US assets which, once again, fly in a completely legal way, carry out missions to support our national security interests," said Kirb. "They are people who need to be more careful. The message is: Don't do this again," Kirby said.

Meanwhile, Ambassador Antonov, after the meeting, said the drone was "deliberately and provocatively moving towards Russian territory with a turned off Notch."

Antonov said his meeting at the US State Department was constructive and there were no issues about the consequences Moscow might receive for the incident, according to the RIA news agency.

Separately, a number of Uncle Sam's country officials have stressed that the United States will continue to fly over international waters in the area.

"And it is Russia's obligation to operate its military aircraft in a safe and professional manner," US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said on Wednesday in a virtual monthly meeting with allies on weapons aid for Ukraine.