Russian vessels and a pair of Su-24 fighters buzzed the amphibious warship USS San Antonio and scores of other NATO ships as they left port from Poland Monday to launch their largest exercises in recent memory in the Baltic Sea.
The group of 49 U.S. and coalition ships had just begun “formation steaming shortly after we left port” from Poland when the formation reported a Russian ship shadowing it. Shortly after, the formation was overflown by the Su-24s “and a couple of other Russian Corvettes came up on the other side of the formation,” said Vice Adm. James Foggo, commander of U.S. 6th Fleet. He spoke with reporters Monday afternoon with his Spanish and British counterparts from onboard the San Antonio via teleconference.
The overflights were “nothing untoward, just showing interest,” Foggo said. “We attempted communicating with them as we normally do via radio, but there was no response.”
The U.S. and NATO ships are in the Baltic Sea for a series of annual exercises that will run through June 20 and involve more than 60 aircraft, 5,600 personnel and the 49 warships.
