The United States might soon sail a Naval ship into the Black Sea as Russia flexes its military muscles there in the wake of a dramatic showdown with Ukraine.
CNN reported Wednesday the U.S. military asked the Department of State to tell Turkey it is preparing to possibly sail a ship through the Bosporus Strait, which links the Sea of Marmara with the Black Sea.
Three U.S. officials told the network the decision comes in response to Russian aggression, which included firing upon Ukrainian ships and taking several sailors hostage, ramming a Ukrainian tugboat, and not allowing any ships to pass through the Kerch Strait.
"Our U.S. 6th Fleet is always prepared to respond where called," Navy Cdr. Kyle Raines told CNN.
"We routinely conduct operations to advance security and stability throughout the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations to include the international waters and airspace of the Black Sea. We reserve the right to operate freely in accordance with international laws and norms."
On Nov. 25, Russia carried out aggressive actions against Ukraine in a dramatic Naval showdown. Ukraine said later that it detected an increased amount of Russian military activity near the Ukrainian border. Russia has since claimed Ukraine is gearing up for military action as well, CNN reported.
The U.S. guided-missile destroyer USS McCampbell on Wednesday sailed through an area of the Sea of Japan that is close to waters Russia claims are its own, a claim that is disputed by the international community.
© 2024 Newsmax. All rights reserved.