Russian Black Sea Fleet Tracks US 6th Fleet Flagship Mount Whitney

Russia's Black Sea Fleet is ready to send one of its vessels to track the US 6th Fleet command and control ship USS Mount Whitney if it approaches Russian shores, a Crimean defense official told RIA Novosti on Tuesday.

SEVASTOPOL (Sputnik) — The US Navy said earlier in the day that USS Mount Whitney entered the Black Sea the previous day.

"Mount Whitney is currently tracked by stationary ground stations, it is at a great distance in the western Black Sea and there is no need to track it. If the US ship approaches Russian shores, one of the Black Sea Fleet ships will be sent to escort it and aircraft will be involved," the source said.

The US 6th Fleet, based in Italy, conducts operations with allied, joint and interagency partners to advance US interests in Europe and Africa.