Russian destroyer wards off Turkish fishing ship in Aegean

According to the statement, the warship Smetlivy fired warning shots at an unnamed Turkish boat in the northern Aegean in order to avert a collision.

Russia’s Defense Ministry says a Russian destroyer has used small arms fire to ward off a Turkish fishing ship and prevent a collision in the Aegean Sea.

In a statement, it said the warship had been unable to establish radio contact with the approaching seiner, while visual signals and flares also went unacknowledged.

Deputy defense minister Anatoly Antonov summoned a Turkish military attache, it added.

“Immediately after that the Turkish vessel drastically changed course and continued its movement past the Smetlivy at the distance of 540 meters without engaging in contact with the Russian crew”, the ministry said.

Ankara claimed that the aircraft had violated its airspace, however, Russian defense officials provided evidence that the aircraft had not crossed into Turkey. Both countries have fiercely disagreed on the circumstances surrounding the shooting down of the Russian SU-24 fighter jet on Nov 24.

Russian state media reported that the Smetlivy, a military vessel, fired the hots across the bow of an unnamed Turkish boat after they passed within 500 metres of each other.

“Turkey and Russian Federation originally found themselves at odds over the Syria conflict, with Ankara backing the US coalition seeking to oust President Bashar Assad, and Moscow continuing its long tradition of supporting the Assad regime”.