Russia warns it will sink American ships if its borders are violated
The Russian military is ready to strike at foreign ships that violate the state border of the Russian Federation, said the deputy head of the main operational directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Federation, Stanislav Gadzhimagomedov, commenting on the incident with the American submarine near the Kuril Island
On Saturday, the Russian Defense Ministry said the Russian warships had to use “appropriate means" against an American Virginia-class submarine in the Pacific Ocean, which, according to the Kremlin, entered Russian territorial waters.
The incident occurred in the Sea of Okhotsk, which is a base for Russian Borei-class submarines, the main strike force in the event of a nuclear war.
Unlike silo-based missiles, whose locations are well known and can be destroyed, submarines of the Pacific Fleet, equipped with the most modern missile weapons, are considered a more reliable means of response in a nuclear war.
The American Virginia-class submarines are conceived as a means of destroying them. But the Russian General Staff is "always ready" to strike at the offending ships, Gadzhimagomedov said.
He added that at the same time "such decisions are made only at the highest level."
As for negotiations with the United States and NATO on guarantees of Russia's security, they, according to the representative of the General Staff, are at a dead end.
"The United States does not intend to negotiate the terms of the Russian draft proposals," Gadzhimagomedov said. "Washington will not deviate from its values and commitments and will continue to support NATO's Open-Door Policy."
"There are no plans to change the composition of U.S. and NATO forces in Europe, which is ostensibly limited, proportionate and fully consistent with the commitments made," he added.