The U.S. military Saturday accused a Russian warship of “high risk” and “highly unprofessional” maneuvers near a U.S. Navy ship in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, the second time in as many weeks that American and Russian ships had such a close encounter on the high seas.
(FOX)- A statement from the U.S. European Command (EUCOM) claimed that the frigate Yaroslav Mudry passed unnecessarily near the guided missile cruiser USS San Jacinto. The statement added that the Yaroslav Mudry navigated in the San Jacinto’s wake.
EUCOM said the U.S. cruiser was not threatened and maintained its course and speed. However, the statement said the Russian maneuver was “contrary to international maritime regulations.”
“These actions can unnecessarily escalate tensions between countries, and could result in dangerous miscalculations or accidents,” the EUCOM statement said.
Reuters reported that at the time of the incident, the San Jacinto was carrying out operations against ISIS in Iraq and Syria along with the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower.
The latest incident occurred 13 days after another incident between U.S. and Russian forces in the Mediterranean Sea. On June 17, defense officials tell Fox News, the Russian frigate Neustrashimyy maneuvered close to the USS Gravely, a destroyer that was protecting another U.S. aircraft carrier, the USS Harry Truman, while the Truman was launching anti-ISIS airstrikes.