Russia's war on Ukraine latest: US drone crashes in Black Sea

The U.S. military said a Russian fighter plane clipped the propeller of one of its spy drones and made it crash into the Black Sea in the first such direct encounter between the two powers since Russia invaded Ukraine over a year ago.

The U.S. military said a Russian fighter plane clipped the propeller of one of its spy drones and made it crash into the Black Sea in the first such direct encounter between the two powers since Russia invaded Ukraine over a year ago. U.S. DRONE INCIDENT

* A U.S military MQ-9 surveillance drone crashed into the Black Sea after being intercepted by Russian fighter jets. The Pentagon said that one of the Russian Su-27 jets struck the propeller of the drone, making it inoperable. * Russia's defence ministry blamed "sharp maneuvering" by the drone for the crash and said that its jets did not make contact.

* Russia views the drone incident as provocation, the RIA state news agency cited Russia's ambassador to the United States as saying. DIPLOMACY, ECONOMY

* Finnish President Sauli Niinisto will visit Turkey this week to discuss Finland's bid to join NATO with President Tayyip Erdogan, the Turkish presidency said. * Denmark's government said it will establish a fund of 7 billion Danish crowns ($1.01 billion) for military, civilian and business aid to Ukraine this year.

* U.S. commanders leading annual counter-terrorism exercises in West Africa have urged coastal countries to depend on each other to contain a spreading Islamist insurgency, rather than non-Western powers, after Mali last year hired Russian mercenaries. * The world's third-largest exporter of iron ore pellets, Ferrexpo Plc FXPO.L, reported a slump in its full-year profit, as the Ukraine-focused miner took a hit from higher costs and lower production volumes.

FIGHTING, POLITICS * Ukraine's top military command is unanimously in favour of defending eastern Ukraine including the besieged city of Bakhmut, and inflicting maximum losses on the enemy, President Voldoymyr Zelenskiy said.

* Zelenskiy dismissed three regional governors including the head of the frontline region of Luhansk. * A major Ukrainian arms manufacturer announced it had started making 125mm rounds for Soviet-era tanks, as Kyiv seeks to boost its armour capabilities for a counter-offensive against invading Russian forces.

* The 2024 U.S. Republican presidential race could become a contest between isolationists and foreign policy hawks after Florida Governor Ron DeSantis sent his strongest signal yet he does not believe support for Ukraine is in the U.S. national interest. QUOTES

* "Since the beginning of February, they (the Russians) have conducted something like 40 to 50 attempted assaults," 45-year-old Ukrainian commander Andrii "Tuman" told Reuters in a village near Kreminna, Luhansk. * World tennis number one Iga Swiatek: "I feel more should be done to help Ukrainian players because everything we discuss in tennis is about Belarusian and Russian players, if they should be allowed, what's going on with them."