Pentagon Contacts Moscow About US Destroyer’s Encounter With Russian Ship

The United States is in contact with Russian authorities about the incident concerning a Russian frigate approaching the US guided missile destroyer Gravely in the Mediterranean Sea, US Department of Defense spokesperson Michelle Baldanza told Sputnik on Tuesday.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — Earlier in the day, Russia’s Defense Ministry said that a US destroyer violated international and bilateral agreements in June by approaching the Russian frigate Yaroslav Mudry dangerously close.

"We are aware of an incident in which the USS Gravely was approached by a Russian ship in the Mediterranean Sea on June 17, 2016," Baldanza stated. "We are following up on this incident through appropriate military discussion channels with the Russians."

The Russian Defense Ministry said the US crew breached article 3 of the Russia-US agreement on avoiding incidents at sea, which stipulates that ships operating in close proximity of one another should maintain a reasonable distance to minimize the risk of collision.

An anonymous US defense official, cited by Reuters, claimed on Tuesday that the Russian frigate carried out an “unsafe and unprofessional” operation in the vicinity of the US vessel.