Military Official Says Russia Is Ready To Shoot Down Foreign Ships And Submarines That Interfere

Illustration of the cruiser Marshal Ustinov (055) Russian Navy. (Wikimedia Commons/LPHOT SEELEY/MOD)

JAKARTA - A senior Russian military official said on Monday that Russia is ready to open fire on foreign ships and submarines that illegally enter its territorial waters, the Interfax news agency reported.

However, such a decision would only be taken at the 'highest level', said Stanislav Gadzhimagomedov, deputy head of the General Staff's main operational department, cited from Reuters, February 14.

The comments came two days after Moscow said a Russian naval vessel had expelled a US submarine in Russian waters in the Pacific. Meanwhile, the US has denied carrying out military operations in Russian territorial waters.

Tensions between the two countries are running high, with Washington warning Russia could attack Ukraine at any time. Moscow denies this intention, despite deploying more than 100,000 troops near the Ukrainian border, calling Western governments hysterical.

Interfax quoted Gadzhimagomedov as saying Russia is capable of adequately countering the US fleet in the Black and Baltic Seas, but does not have enough ships and plans to do so in the far east at present.

To note, all Russian military fleets have carried out exercises in recent weeks over a wide area including parts of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and the Mediterranean.