Russian aircraft in 'unsafe' encounters with U.S. destroyer – U.S. officials

WASHINGTON Multiple Russian military aircraft came close to a U.S. Navy destroyer in the Black Sea on Feb. 10, incidents considered to be “unsafe and unprofessional,” a U.S. official said on Tuesday.

Captain Danny Hernandez, a spokesman for U.S. European Command, said there were three separate incidents involving Russian aircraft and the USS Porter. One involved two Russian SU-24 jets, another involved a separate SU-24, and the third involved a larger IL-38.

“USS Porter queried all aircraft and received no response,” Hernandez said.

“Such incidents are concerning because they can result in accident or miscalculation,” he added.

(Reporting by Idrees Ali; Editing by James Dalgleish)