Russian jets and an attack helicopter were caught on video making simulated attacks over U.S. Navy destroyer “Donald Cook” in the Baltic Sea, starting on April 11 and continuing on April 12.
U.S. European Command released videos and images of the aggressive maneuvers on April 13, noting in a press release that one of the passes was deemed “unsafe by the ship’s commanding officer,” and as a safety precaution, the ship suspended flight operations until the Russian jets left the area.
Two Russian SU-24 jets made their maneuvers on April 11, and on the following day, a Russian KA-27 Helix helicopter circled the ship seven times at low altitude. Then, two Russian jets again made “unsafe and unprofessional” passes over the ship.
During the incident on April 12, the jets ignored “repeated safety advisories in both English and Russian,” as they made 11 “close-range and low altitude passes,” according to the release.
It says the Russian aircraft “flew in a simulated attack profile.”
“We have deep concerns about the unsafe and unprofessional Russian flight maneuvers,” states the release. “These actions have the potential to unnecessarily escalate tensions between countries, and could result in a miscalculation or accident that could cause serious injury or death.”
The U.S. Navy is currently reviewing the incidents, and U.S. officials are addressing the incident with Russia through diplomatic channels.
The three other videos released by U.S. European Command can be seen below:
