Russia accused the United States on Wednesday of intimidation by sailing a US naval destroyer close to Russia's border in the Baltics and warned that the Russian military would respond with 'all necessary measures' to any future incidents.
Speaking after a meeting between NATO envoys and Russia, their first in almost two years, Moscow's ambassador to NATO said the April 11 maritime incident showed there could be no improvement in ties until the US-led alliance withdrew from Russia's borders.
'This is about attempts to exercise military pressure on Russia,' the envoy, Alexander Grushko, said.
'We will take all necessary measures, precautions, to compensate for these attempts to use military force.'
Russia accused the United States on Wednesday of intimidation by sailing a US naval destroyer close to Russia's border in the Baltics. Above two Russian planes fly over USS Donald Cook April 12 in the Baltic Sea
Russia Moscow's ambassador to NATO Alexander Grushkos (above) said the maritime incident showed there could be no improvement in ties until the US-led alliance withdrew from Russia's borders
Grushkos said: 'This is about attempts to exercise military pressure on Russia. We will take all necessary measures, precautions, to compensate for these attempts to use military force'
US Ambassador to NATO Douglas Lute pressed Russia about the incident, warning it had been dangerous.
The United States has said the guided missile destroyer USS Cook was on routine business near Poland when it was harassed by Russian jets.
'We were in international waters,' a NATO diplomat reported Lute as telling Grushko during the NATO-Russia council meeting.
Last week Secretary of State John Kerry said the Navy ship could have opened fire on the Russian military jets that buzzed around it.
Kerry made the statement in remarks to CNN Espanol in Miami and condemned Russia's actions.
He said that 'under the rules of engagement (it) could have been a shoot-down'.
Despite what officials said was a calm and professional meeting, the public comments highlighted the state of tension that persists between the sides since Moscow's annexation of Ukraine's Crimea in March 2014 and its support for separatist rebels in eastern Ukraine.
The United States has said the guided missile destroyer USS Cook was on routine business near Poland when it was harassed by Russian jets. Above a Russian helicopter flies low near USS Cook in the Baltic Sea April 12
A NATO diplomat reported US Ambassador to NATO Douglas Lute telling Grushko during the NATO-Russia council meeting that 'We were in international waters.' Above a Russian aircraft flies near the USS Cook
Credit to Dailymail.co.uk
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3550181/Russia-warns-U-S-naval-incident-NATO-tensions-laid-bare.html#ixzz46QsacxkO
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