An U.S. Navy picture shows what appears to be a Russian Sukhoi SU-24 attack aircraft flying over the USS Donald Cook in the Baltic Sea. The repeated flights by the Sukhoi SU-24 warplanes, which also flew near the ship a day earlier, were so close they created wake in the water, with 11 passes, the official said. REUTERS/US Navy
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Russia’s envoy to NATO accused the United States of trying to put pressure on Moscow by sailing a U.S. guided-missile destroyer near Kaliningrad last week, warning that Russia will react if necessary.
Ambassador Alexander Grushko, speaking after the first NATO-Russia Council in almost two years, also said he saw no improvement in NATO-Russia relations until NATO allies scaled down military activities on Russia’s borders.
“This is about attempts to exercise military pressure on Russia,” Grushko said. “We will take all necessary measures, precautions to compensate these attempts to use military force.”
(Reporting by Robin Emmott; editing by Philip Blenkinsop)
