Russia was accused of “aggression” on Wednesday after two jet fighters carried out practise attacks on a US destroyer, flying so low over the warship they created a “wake in the water”. The Su-24 strike aircraft swept past the USS Donald Cook at a height of only 30ft as the vessel steamed through international waters in the Baltic. The Russian air force is probing the defences of Nato countries on a scale that compares with the most dangerous periods of the Cold War. As well as testing the reaction times of opposing air forces, Russian jets have simulated attacks on Nato warships. A Ka-27 Helix helicopter appeared nearby and circled the American destroyer seven times A Ka-27 Helix helicopter appeared nearby and circled the American destroyer seven times CREDIT: AFP The Baltic is the focus of this campaign. Last year, Nato jets were scrambled to intercept Russian warplanes in the Baltic region on 160 occasions, compared with 140 in 2014. In the event of war, Russia would try to seal off the Baltic to prevent Nato from reinforcing its most exposed members: Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. In addition, Russia would also need to protect its enclave of Kaliningrad, located on the Baltic coast between Poland and Lithuania. Play! 01:32 The latest incident took place 70 miles off Kaliningrad as the USS Donald Cook steamed through the Baltic. A US defence official said the unarmed Su-24s flew low enough to create a “wake in the water”. The two warplanes carried out the passes in a “simulated attack profile”. The official added: "This is more aggressive than anything we've seen in some time.” The overflights took place on both Monday and Tuesday and the Russian jets did not respond to the warship’s efforts to contact them by radio. Then a Ka-27 Helix helicopter, designed to sink submarines, appeared nearby and circled the American destroyer seven times, apparently taking photographs.

• published: 13 Apr 2016
• views: 68