The Russian defense ministry said that one of its destroyers in the Aegean Sea had to fire small arms warning shots Sunday at a Turkish fishing vessel to prevent a collision.
The ministry said its guided missile destroyer Smetlivy was unable to make radio contact with the approaching Turkish seiner, a fishing boat equipped with nets, and it failed to respond to visual signals and flares. Moscow said the destroyer fired the warning shots when the fishing boat was 600 meters away. It quickly changed course and passed within 540 meters.
Moscow said it summoned the Turkish military attache over the incident.
Tensions are running high between Turkey and Russia after a Turkish jet downed a Russian bomber along the Syrian border last month, leaving two of Moscow's airmen dead in the attack and subsequent rescue effort.
Some material for this report came from AP, AFP and Reuters.
