The vessel came within 30 metres of the USS Chancellorsville in the Philippine Sea.

The crew were reportedly forced to “reverse full and steer away to avoid a collision”.

Moscow claimed the Admiral Vinogradov had been forced to take emergency action to avoid a collision around 3.35am GMT on Friday.

Russian news agency Tass said in a statement: “The US cruiser Chancellorsville suddenly changed its course and crossed the Admiral Vinogradov destroyer’s course some 50 meters away from the ship. 

“In order to prevent a collision, the Admiral Vinogradov’s crew was forced to conduct an emergency manoeuvre.” 

But the US Navy later asserted the Russian ship was the aggressor. 

U.S. Seventh Fleet spokesman Commander Clayton Doss hit back: “While operating in the Philippine Sea, a Russian Destroyer Udaloy I DD 572 made an unsafe maneuver against USS Chancellorsville.” 

He described the Russian claims as “propaganda”. 

“A Russian Destroyer Udaloy I DD 572 made an unsafe maneuver against USS Chancellorsville”

U.S. Seventh Fleet spokesman Commander Clayton Doss

The USS Chancellorsville has guided missiles, rapid-fire cannons, and carries two anti-submarine helicopters.

It has been in service since July 1988, and was previously part of a carrier strike group in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

It is currently based in Yokosuka, Japan.

The Admiral Vinogradov launched in June 1987 and was seen shadowing US Navy vessels during an exercise near Hawaii in the summer of 2016.

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