(Newswire.net — December 13, 2015) –The crew of the Russian destroyer Smetlivy was forced to fire upon a Turkish fishing boat to prevent a collision, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense.
The incident occurred on Sunday, 22 kilometers from the Greek island Lemnos, in the northern part of the Aegean Sea, according to Russian media.
Russian Ministry of Defense announced that the incident happend after numerous unsuccessful attempts of the Russian ship to get in touch with the Turkish fishermen. However, Turkish fishing boat did not respond either to the calls made over the radio network, and did not react to flares. Russian crew was forced to use warning shots, but they took care not to hit the fishing boat, the Russian Sputnik reports.
According to Russian news agency TASS, Ministry of Defence summoned the Turkish military attache, Rear Admiral Ahmet Gunes, over the incident.
“Turkish military diplomat warning of possible disastrous consequences of irrational actions of official Ankara towards the Russian military contingent who performed tasks in the struggle against international terrorism in Syria”, announced the Russian Defense Ministry.
Among other things, Russian Ministry of Defence once again announced deep concerns about the latest one in a series of Turkish provocations, explaining why the Russian patrol boat Smetlivy was forced to shoot live ammo as warning shots, added the Russian Ministry of Defence.
According to Russian authorities, fire was opened from small arms to the distance that guarantees that it will not affect the Turkish ship.
“Turkish vessel approached to 1,800ft (600m) before turning away in response to Russian small arms fire”, reads Russian Defence Ministry statement.
Turkey has not yet given its response to the incident, BBC reported, but the military attache at the Turkish Embassy in Moscow, Rear Admiral Ahmet Gunes, who was urgently summoned to the Russia Defence Ministry for talks with Deputy Defence Minister Anatoly Antonov, promised to immediately notify Ankara about the position Russia assumes, announced the Russian Defense Ministry.