The Pentagon said Friday it will file a formal démarche protesting the actions of the Russian navy, after one of its destroyers nearly collided with the U.S. guided missile cruiser USS Chancellorsville in international waters in the Philippine Sea.
The Navy released video of the encounter showing the Russian warship coming within 50 to 100 feet of the American ship, forcing it to reverse its engine to avoid contact with the Russian vessel.
In a brief exchange with reporters at the Pentagon Friday, acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan said the incident raised serious concerns about the safety of the men and women on the U.S. ship.
“The behavior’s unsafe and unprofessional,” Shanahan said just before greeting the Greek defense minister, who was arriving for a morning meeting.
“We’ll have military-to-military conversations with the Russians, and of course we’ll démarche them,” Shanahan said.
The Navy’s top admiral, John Richardson, chief of naval operations, also released a statement condemning the Russian actions as “irresponsible and reckless.”
“This unwise maneuver, combined with the unsafe maneuvers by the Russian aircraft in the eastern Mediterranean earlier this week, make it clear that these dangerous actions by Russian military forces across the globe do not match what the world expects from a responsible and trustworthy world power,” Richardson said. “The U.S. Navy will not be deterred from supporting the free and open use of the seas and skies where international law clearly allows all to operate.”
The Navy said at the time of the incident, the Chancellorsville was proceeding at steady course and speed so the ship’s helicopter could land on the aft landing platform.
The Russian destroyer Udaloy accelerated and drew up along the Chancellorsville’s starboard, or right, side.
The video released by the Navy shows Russian sailors apparently sunning themselves on the stern of the ship as it passes by.
The actions of the Russian ship captain are in clear violation of the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, the Navy said in a statement.
