An U.S. attack drone was intercepted in the sky over Ukraine's Crimea region on Friday, according to Russian state-owned holding company Rostec. The drone was reportedly about 12,000 feet in the air when someone broke the link between the drone and its operator, causing it to perform an emergency landing.
The report is unconfirmed, but Voice of Russia reports that the drone appeared to be "part of the 66th U.S. brigade of military intelligence with the main location in Bavaria," which is what Rostec allegedly determined from the writing on the side of the drone. Rostec is a science and technology company owned by the Russian government, and part of its focus is on aviation research. It also works with various organizations — not just Russian ones — that build various aircrafts.
See also: 9 Essential Questions About Ukraine, Answered
The 66th Military Intelligence Brigade moved to the middle of Ukraine earlier in March, according to the Rostec report, which means it wouldn't have been too far from the southern peninsula of Crimea.
Russian troops invaded Crimea at the beginning of the month and the nation has been at loggerheads with the U.S. and Europe ever since. The U.S. and other Western countries got involved diplomatically because they say Russia's occupation is illegal and that Moscow shouldn't have a say in the affairs of the new Ukrainian government, which recently took over after months of violent protests ousted President Viktor Yanukovych. Crimea is set to hold a referendum on Sunday to decide whether to join Russia; Moscow supports the motion while Western nations say the potential annexation is illegal.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Friday to discuss their opinions on Sunday's referendum, but talks broke down.
Rostec: "US surveillance drone intercepted above Crimea, flying at about 4,000 metres. It was possible to break the link with US operators"
— Kevin Bishop (@bishopk) March 14, 2014
 
Russia says it downed US MQ5B Hunter drone over Crimea that it claims US troops fly from Ukraine's Kirovohrad http://t.co/lbV6Wdj1pj
— Yaroslav Trofimov (@yarotrof) March 14, 2014
Rostec said this isn't the first time it has seen a U.S. drone buzzing over Crimea. Earlier, according to the corporation, drones reportedly appeared in the Kherson region — the area of the Crimean roadblock Chongar.
As for the condition of the drone intercepted on Friday, according to Rostec, it was "almost unbroken."
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