“Conscious violation of international standards": the Ministry of Defense accused the US destroyer of rapprochement with the Russian ship

The Russian Ministry of Defense has denied a statement by the US 5th Fleet about the “dangerous rapprochement” of the Russian Navy ship with USS Farragut. The incident occurred in the Arabian Sea.

"The statement issued by representatives of the 5th fleet of the US Navy about the alleged" dangerous "rapprochement of the Russian ship with the Farragut destroyer in the Arabian Sea is not true," the Russian defense department said in a statement.

Earlier, the press service of the 5th fleet of the United States said that the USS Farragut conducted an operation in the Arabian Sea when the ship of the Russian Navy allegedly “aggressively approached” it. The US military claims that Farragut has given five short beeps as required by international collision avoidance standards. Then the US sailors asked the Russian ship to change course.

“At first, the Russian ship refused, but eventually changed course,” the press service said on Twitter.

On Thursday, Jan. 9, while conducting routine operations in the North Arabian Sea, USS Farragut (DDG 99) was aggressively approached by a Russian Navy ship. pic.twitter.com/SCVyTINNqe

However, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation explained that at the time of rapprochement it was the American ship that was supposed to yield. The Russian military refers to the 1972 Convention on the International Rules for the Prevention of Collisions at Sea. According to her, the one to the left should give way to another and try to avoid crossing the course.

“Thus, it was the US Navy destroyer, being on the left course of the Russian warship moving forward, on January 9, 2020 flagrantly violated international rules for preventing collisions at sea, having made a maneuver to cross its course,” the Defense Department emphasized.

As a confirmation, the Russian defense department indicated the videos attached by the press service of the 5th US fleet.

In this situation, Russian sailors acted professionally and prevented a clash, the Ministry of Defense emphasized.

“The unprofessional actions of the crew of the American destroyer are a deliberate violation of international shipping safety standards,” the Russian side stated.

USS Farragut - Arly Burke type destroyer. It was laid in 2004 and commissioned in 2006. The ship is equipped with Tomahawk cruise missiles and Mk41 missile launchers.

“Indicated inadmissibility of such actions”

It is worth noting that between the ships of Russia and the United States there have repeatedly been similar incidents. So, in early June 2019, the American cruiser Chancellorsville in the East China Sea crossed the course of the Russian large anti-submarine ship Admiral Vinogradov.

“When moving along the parallel courses of a detachment of ships of the Pacific Fleet and an aircraft carrier strike group of the US Navy, the Chancellorsville URO cruiser suddenly changed direction and crossed the course of the Admiral Vinogradov anti-aircraft carrier 50 meters from the ship,” the press service of the Pacific Fleet of the Russian Federation said.

The Russian ship was forced to make an emergency maneuver. In connection with the incident, Moscow expressed an official protest to the command of the American ship.

“On the international wave, the command of the American ship protested and pointed out the inadmissibility of such actions,” the RF Pacific Fleet emphasized then.

It is noteworthy that even then the American command stated that their ship was not to blame, and that the responsibility allegedly rests with the Russian one.

“The Russian ship Udaloy I DD 572 made an unsafe maneuver with respect to the American Chancellorsville,” the site of the US 7th Fleet says.

“Unsuccessful attempt to get away from those accompanying”

In December 2018, the USS McCampbell destroyer passed near the Russian naval base in Peter the Great Bay in the Sea of ​​Japan. Rachel McMarr, spokeswoman for the US Pacific Fleet, said it was intentional to “challenge Russia's excessive maritime claims.”

However, in essence, the USS McCampbell did not come close to the base and was under the control of the Pacific Fleet all the time, said Russian Ministry of Defense spokesman Major General Igor Konashenkov.

“If the crew of the American destroyer“ demonstrated ”anything, then this is their unsuccessful attempt at maximum speed to get away from the forces of the Pacific Fleet accompanying it. Currently, the crew of the U.S. Navy destroyer McCampbell US Navy "demonstrates" its courage at a distance of more than 400 km from the territorial waters of the Russian Federation, "he said.