Russia accuses American warship of violating its border
A US Navy destroyer attempted to cross Russia's border in the Sea of Japan, said the Russian Defense Ministry.
The incident occurred around 17.00 GMT in the area, which Moscow declared closed to international shipping due to joint exercises with China, reports Interfax citing a statement of the Russian Defense Ministry.
The drills were held the day before and are due to last until October 17. The American destroyer USS Chafee (DDG 90) has been in the area for several days.
According to the Russian Defense Ministry, on Friday, after detecting the American destroyer, a large anti-submarine ship of the Russian Pacific Fleet Admiral Tributs issued a warning through the international communication channel.
But USS Chafee "instead of changing course to leave the closed area, raised the signal flags, indicating that a helicopter was preparing for a takeoff from the deck, which means that it was not going to change course and speed," the Russian Defense Ministry said.
Then, according to the Russian Defense Ministry, the American ship "took action to violate the state border of the Russian Federation in the Peter the Great Gulf."
In response, Admiral Tributs "took course to oust" the American destroyer. The distance between the ships was reduced to 60 meters, after which, the American ship changed its course and at 17:50 headed back.
According to the Russian Defense Ministry, this happened because the US military "saw that the crew of the Russian ship was determined to prevent violations of the state border."
This is the second incident involving NATO and Russian ships this year. In June, the Russian Defense Ministry said that the British destroyer HMS Defender violated the Russian border near the annexed Crimea forcing a Russian ship to open warning fire in response.
The British Defense Ministry denied the incident, saying that “no shots were directed at HMS Defender and we do not recognise the claim that bombs were dropped in her path”.
"We believe the Russians were undertaking a gunnery exercise in the Black Sea and provided the maritime community with prior-warning of their activity," the British Defense Ministry added.