World News: Russian Jets Close in on U.S. Destroyer, Raises Concern

By Marvie Basilan, Christian Post Contributor Thursday, April 14, 2016

On Tuesday, unarmed Russian fighter jets were spotted making close overflights to the U.S. destroyer, the USS Donald Cook, raising concerns regarding Russia's flight maneuvers.

According to CNN, one of the jets flew only within 75 feet of the Cook on Tuesday while another overflight happened Sunday. A statement made by the European Command says the destroyer "encountered multiple, aggressive flight maneuvers by Russian aircraft that were performed within close proximity of the ship."

Though there were no weapons fired, the European Command iterated that "We have deep concerns about the unsafe and unprofessional Russian flight maneuvers."

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A U.S. official said a Polish helicopter's flight operations had been interrupted because one of the overflights went too close to the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer. The Polish helicopter was on board the Cook as part of routine training and due to the incidents, some military circles speculate that Russia may be starting to send their own messages to Poland.

According to Reuters, another official who chose to speak anonymously said the U.S. vessel was indeed sailing in international waters but the crew tried to communicate with the Russians when the overflights occurred. "They tried to raise them [the Russian aircraft] on the radio but they did not answer," he said.

While there have been similar encounters between U.S. ships and Russian aircraft and other vessels, the latest encounters are deemed unsafe by the U.S. crew. Adding to the recent episodes are the other similar occasions over the past couple of months.

During the Cold War, an agreement was made to avoid such episodes that could risk the safety of both parties. Then-Secretary of the Navy John Warner and Soviet Admiral Sergei Gorshkov signed the treaty that prohibited "simulated attacks against aircraft or ships, performing aerobatics over ships, or dropping hazardous objects near them."

The events follow as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) makes plans on countering Russia's apparent aggressiveness over the past months.