Top U.S. Admiral Says Russia's Flybys May Be Attempts At 'Baiting The U.S. To Shoot First'

US Navy destroyer USS Ross is seen from British patrol vessel HMS Trent in Odesa, Ukraine, during Sea Breeze 2021, July 2, 2021. British Royal Navy/HMS Trent

Business Insider: Russia's risky flybys may be attempts at 'baiting us into shooting first,' top US admiral says

* Russian forces have had several close encounters with NATO militaries in the Black Sea.

* Those encounters come amid ongoing tensions following Moscow's 2014 seizure of Crimea.

* Those actions may be attempts to bait US and NATO forces, the top US admiral in Europe warned.

Aggressive Russian maneuvers around US and NATO forces in the Black Sea in recent weeks appear meant to provoke a response, the top US Navy admiral in Europe said on July 21.

NATO militaries conducted exercises in the Black Sea from mid-June to mid-July, the largest of which, Sea Breeze, involved 32 ships and 40 aircraft from 32 countries.

In the days before Sea Breeze began on June 28, Russian aircraft conducted what Western officials called unsafe flights around NATO warships in the Black Sea. Russian and NATO forces continued to operate near each other in the Black Sea and Mediterranean Sea over the following weeks.

Read more ....

Update: Russia’s Increasing Aggression in Black Sea Region Disturbs U.S. Naval Commander (Seapower Magazine)

WNU Editor: You can take this to the bank. If the U.S. shoots, there will be a very quick reciprocal response from Russia.

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