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Russia hands note to US military attache over submarine incident near Kuril Islands

The representative of the US Department of Defense was informed that the US submarine’s actions are assessed as a blatant violation of international law

MOSCOW, February 12. /TASS/. Russia has handed a note to US military attache in connection with the US nuclear-powered submarine’s incident in Russia’s waters near the Kuril Islands, the Defense Ministry said on Saturday.

"On February 12, a representative of the office of the military attache for defense issues at the US Embassy in Moscow has been handed over a note at the Main Directorate of the International Military Cooperation of Russia’s Defense Ministry in connection with the violation of Russia’s state border by the US Navy’s submarine," the statement said.

The representative of the US Department of Defense was informed that the US submarine’s actions are assessed as a blatant violation of international law. The US Navy vessel’s provocative actions posed a threat to Russia’s national security.

The Russian Defense Ministry urges the US to take steps to rule out such situations in the future. The ministry reserves the right to employ all measures in its territorial waters to ensure Russia’s security.

According to the ministry, a Virginia-class submarine belonging to the US Navy was detected on February 12, 2022 at 10.40 (Moscow Time) in the area of the Pacific Fleet’s drills near Urup Island of the Kuril Islands.

Under the guiding documents on protection of the Russian state border in the underwater environment, the crew of the Pacific Fleet’s frigate Marshal Shaposhnikov used appropriate means. The US submarine started a self-propelled simulator to split the target image on radar and acoustic control means into two parts and retreated from Russian territorial waters at a maximum speed, the ministry said.

The Pacific Fleet’s ships continue the scheduled drills, including to ensure control in the underwater environment and thwart violations of Russia’s state border.

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