Russian planes buzzed Navy ship in Baltic Sea

WASHINGTON -- Russian attack planes buzzed a U.S. Navy destroyer in the Baltic Sea several times Monday and Tuesday, coming as close as an estimated 30 feet from the ship and twice passing below the ship's navigation bridge, U.S. officials said Wednesday.

The Russian Su-24 planes appeared unarmed but Tuesday flew what the commander of the USS Donald Cook deemed to be a simulated attack profile.

The Cook's commander judged the actions unsafe and unprofessional, but the ship took no action beyond trying to communicate with the aircraft by radio, according to a statement by U.S. European Command.

The U.S. European Command, which oversees U.S. military operations in that area, said the Cook was conducting deck landing drills with an allied military helicopter when two Su-24s made several close-range and low-altitude passes Monday afternoon.

One pass occurred while the helicopter was refueling on the Cook's deck.

"As a safety precaution, flight operations were suspended until the Su-24s departed the area," it said.

European Command did not identify the ally involved, but other officials said the helicopter was Polish.

It was unclear when or whether the U.S. government would formally protest the Russian actions, which come at a time of tensions between Washington and Moscow over Russia's annexation of Crimea, its military intervention in eastern Ukraine and fears among former Soviet states in eastern Europe that Russian aggression could threaten their independence.

White House press secretary Josh Earnest said the incident was part of a pattern of unsafe Russian aircraft action.