"This Freedom of Navigation Operation (FONOP) protects the rights, freedoms and lawful use of the sea, recognized in international law, challenging Russia's excessive maritime claims," the Naval press service said.
The command of the fleet, based in Japan, noted that this operation allowed the United States to demonstrate that, from their point of view, "this zone is not part of Russian territorial waters."
The USA notes that in 1984 the USSR limited the inland waters of the Peter the Great Gulf to a straight line 106 nautical miles long.
According to the American side, this line, limiting the waters of the bay, is incompatible with the norms of international law reflected in the Convention on the Law of the Sea.
“Having drawn this line, the USSR tried to demand more internal waters and territorial sea farther from the coast than it has the right to demand under international law.
Russia continued the claims of the USSR, "the American military noted.
On the morning of November 24, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported that the large anti-submarine ship of the Pacific Fleet "Admiral Vinogradov" stopped the violation of the Russian border by a US Navy destroyer, after a warning, the American ship returned to neutral waters.
It was noted that USS John S. McCain went 2 km beyond the border line.
The Russian ship warned the foreign ship that such actions were unacceptable.
"Admiral Vinogradov" also warned about the possibility of using a "ramming maneuver" to drive the intruder out of the territorial waters.
After that, the American destroyer left the Russian waters.