Photo: Still from the video
Commander of the US Navy in Europe and the African Admiral Robert Burke made a statement on whether NATO forces could open fire on Russian ships in the Black Sea under certain circumstances.
“It can be said that they will provoke us to attack first,” the general told Business Insider. He explained that Russian pilots fly in the immediate vicinity of a warship, then at this moment only the commanders of this ship decide whether a foreign aircraft is about to attack or not.
According to Burke's NATO Force, they cannot strike Russia first. At the same time, he noted that he would not require the captains of the ships to take the first blow to the jaw.
At the same time, Burke noted that, in general, Russia's actions of the Navy to accompany NATO ships are safe and professional.
Recall that on June 23, there was an incident off the coast of Crimea with the British destroyer Defender. He crossed the Russian border at Cape Fiolent, and the Russian Border Guard opened a warning fire to change the direction of the destroyer. The next day, a frigate of the Dutch Navy Evertsen completed a course for the Kerch Strait. After the Su-30 fighters and Su-24 bombers were lifted into the air, the ship changed course.