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USS Porter located near Crimea, heads in direction of Odessa — source

"In accordance with routine practice," the US destroyer is under constant control of intelligence services and the Black Sea Fleet, the source noted

© EPA/CATHERINE DIXSON

MOSCOW, October 8. /TASS/. US Navy destroyer USS Porter that entered the Black Sea on Tuesday is currently positioned in its eastern part not far from the Crimean peninsula, a military and diplomatic source told TASS on Thursday.

"USS Porter is currently positioned in neutral waters near the Crimean peninsula. Judging by its movements, there are grounds to assume it is heading in the direction of the Ukrainian port of Odessa," the source added.

"In accordance with routine practice," the US destroyer is under constant control of intelligence services and the Black Sea Fleet, the source noted.

"The destroyer is closely followed by a reconnaissance ship collecting radio intelligence data. From the air, the actions of the destroyer are watched by naval aviation. From the shore, including from the Crimean shore, it is watched from ground-based radar stations," the source explained.

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