Russian Warship Blocks US Navy Destroyer from Violating Maritime Border in Sea of Japan

Russia's Defence Ministry released a statement, "Today, October 15 at about 5 pm local time, the USS Chafee destroyer which has been operating in the Sea of Japan for several days, approached the territorial waters of the Russian Federation and made an attempt to cross the state border," Sputnik reported

According to the ministry, the Admiral Tributs, an Udaloy-class large anti-submarine ship (classified by NATO as a destroyer), approached the US warship, and after several warnings, began driving the intruding vessel away from Russian waters.

The military further stressed that the crew of the Chafee had been informed that it was attempting to sail through an area closed to foreign vessels due to Russian-Chinese "Maritime Interaction-2021" artillery drills being carried out in the area between 14 and 17 October.

"After receiving the warning, instead of changing course to leaved the closed sea area, the Chafee raised signalling flags indicating preparations for takeoff from its helicopter deck, meaning that it would be impossible for the warship to change its course and speed, and took action to violate the state border of the Russian federation in Peter the Great Bay," it added.

"The Chafee, convinced of the Russian ship crew's determination not to allow it to violate the state border, changed directions, and at 5:50 pm turned around after less than 60 meters were left between it and the Admiral Tributs," the ministry indicated.

The military stressed that throughout the incident, the Admiral Tributs remained fully in line with international regulations governing maritime navigation.

It further alleged that the Chafee's actions constituted a "blatant violation" of international rules aimed at preventing the collision of ships at sea, and the 1972 Russian-American bilateral treaty aimed at preventing maritime incidents in the open sea and the airspace above it.