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USA warns it could have shot down Russian jets

The US suspended flight operations from the ship until the Russian jets left the area.

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“It may have been in worldwide waters and therefore may not be any violation of global law, but it is still irresponsible behavior”, said NATO Deputy Secretary General Alexander Vershbow, a former USA ambassador to Russian Federation, speaking on the sidelines of a security conference in Kyiv.

On April 11, Donald Cook was conducting deck landing drills with an allied military helicopter when two Russian SU-24 jets made numerous close-range and low altitude passes at approximately 3 p.m. local.

Such close encounters between Russian jets and United States warships patrolling near Russian territorial waters are not unprecedented.

The Cook had been shadowed by a Russian intelligence-gathering ship for some time and had radioed a Russian ship that it was conducting routine operations, USA officials said.

Earlier on April 14, Russia’s Defense Ministry defended the actions of the Russian pilots, saying they had respected all safety rules. I was personally stunned when I saw that video.

North Atlantic Treaty Organisation has bolstered its military presence in Eastern Europe as a response to the Russian annexation of Crimea in Ukraine in 2014.

The ship was sailing close to a Russian navy base, Russia’s defence ministry said.

Nevertheless, Navy officials said the Russian provocations have the potential to unnecessarily escalate tensions between countries and could result in a miscalculation or accident that could cause serious injury or death.

A Russian KA-27 Helix helicopter also made seven passes around the Cook, taking pictures.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest said: “This incident.is entirely inconsistent with the professional norms of militaries operating in proximity to each other in global water and worldwide airspace”.

So a US Navy guided missile destroyer was hanging out in the Baltic Sea on April 12th when two Russian warplanes buzzed past, simulating attack passes. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said Moscow was surprised by the “distressed reaction of our American counterparts”.

“The Russian aircraft flew in a simulated attack profile and failed to respond to repeated safety advisories in both English and Russian”, EUCOM said.

Washington believes the overflights breach a 1970s agreement which was created to prevent such unsafe incidents at sea.

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USA sailors who viewed the incidents said the jets were flying “wings clean”, meaning there were no visible bombs or armaments, a defense official told defensenews.com, a US publication that reports on military matters.

Two Russian Sukhoi Su-24 attack aircraft make a low altitude pass by the USS Donald Cook in the Baltic Sea