By Dmitry Solovyov and Idrees Ali

MOSCOW, June 28 (Reuters) – Russia and the United States gave contradictory accounts on Tuesday of an incident involving the 2 international locations’ navies within the Mediterranean Sea on June 17, every blaming the opposite for what they stated have been unsafe maneuvers.

The Russian Defence Ministry stated a U.S. destroyer had approached dangerously near a Russian warship, and protested at what it stated was a flagrant U.S. violation of guidelines to keep away from collisions at sea.

However, a U.S. Defense official, talking on the situation of anonymity, stated the Russian warship had carried out “unsafe and unprofessional” operations close to two U.S. Navy ships.

Recent months have seen a lot of related Cold War-style incidents at sea and within the air, with every nation’s navy accusing the opposite of harmful approaches in worldwide waters and airspace.

In one such case, the U.S. navy stated in April that Russian SU-24 bombers had simulated assault passes close to the USS Donald Cook within the Baltic Sea, with one official describing them as one of the vital aggressive interactions in current reminiscence.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry stated on the time that the behaviour of the Russian pilots was provocative and harmful, including that “under the rules of engagement that could have been a shoot-down”.

Russia’s Defence Ministry, uneasy about elevated NATO exercise near Russia’s borders, stated the most recent incident “shows that it is U.S. sailors who allow themselves to forget the basic principles of safe seafaring and not to think about the eventual consequences of this dangerous maneuvering in regions with intense navigation”.

The incident concerned the USS Gravely and the Russian Navy frigate Yaroslav Mudry, the Russian Defence Ministry stated in a press release. The Gravely approached the Russian vessel at a distance of 60-70 meters (65-75 yards) from the port aspect and crossed in entrance of it, it stated.

At the time of the incident, the Russian ship was in worldwide waters within the jap Mediterranean, cruising steadily and with out making any harmful maneuvers, the Russian assertion stated.

Below is video of the encounter launched by the Russian Defence Ministry:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqF6EcShwP0

But the U.S. Defense official stated the Russian frigate had “repeatedly crossed the stern of USS Gravely at close proximity” and had “repeatedly asked Gravely to maintain a safe distance, yet continued to maneuver in close proximity to Gravely.”

The Russian ship got here inside 315 yards (290 meters) of Gravely and 5 nautical miles of the USS Harry S. Truman, the U.S. official stated.

“These actions have the potential to unnecessarily escalate tensions between countries and could result in a miscalculation or accident that results in serious injury or death,” the official stated.

The Defense official added that the Truman and Gravely have been conducting routine operations in help of the marketing campaign in opposition to the Islamic State militant group.

The Pentagon was following up on the incident with Russia by navy channels, U.S. Lieutenant Colonel Michelle Baldanza, a Pentagon spokeswoman, stated in a press release. (Reporting by Dmitry Solovyov and Alexander Winning in Moscow and Idrees Ali in Washington.; Editing by Mark Trevelyan and Frances Kerry)

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