Published on 11:23 AM, January 11, 2020

Russia denies its ship came dangerously close to US destroyer in Arabian Sea

A Russian naval ship sails close to the US Navy destroyer USS Farragut during an incident in the northern Arabian Sea January 9, 2020 in a still image from video. Video taken January 9, 2020. Photo: US Navy/Petty Officer 3rd Class Dawson Roth/Handout via REUTERS

Russia denied on Friday that one of its navy vessels had come dangerously close to a US Navy destroyer in the North Arabian Sea the previous day, Russian news agencies cited a statement by the Russian Ministry of Defence as saying.

The US Navy's Bahrain-based Fifth Fleet said on Friday that a Russian ship had "aggressively approached" US destroyer USS Farragut, which had then sounded five short blasts and requested the Russian ship alter course.

Russia's Ministry of Defence said in its statement that the US Navy vessel had crossed the Russian ship's path, in an action it deemed "unprofessional" and "an intentional violation of international maritime security norms".