"Russian jets' buzzing US warship likely to lead serious consequences"

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in Europe, Salvatore Farina, said the dangerous attempt by Russian planes to fly over the Baltic Sea in April is likely to lead to serious consequences in the Baltic region.

Farina was referring to a recent series of extremely low passes by Russian jets over a US guided missile destroyer in the Baltic Sea, during his visit to the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius on Monday.

“I see no chance of large-scale military conflict with Russia. Dangerous Russian conduct in the Baltic Sea will ultimately cause the conflict,” he said, urging for strengthened air defense for the Baltic states.

Two Russian Su-24 bombers flew at an altitude of only 30 meters over the American guided-missile destroyer USS Donald Cook 20 times in international waters, 70 Navy miles off Kaliningrad on April 11. The planes came close enough for the US sailors to see that they appeared to be unarmed.

A key official in Moscow has denied all charges and defended Russian planes' action. Defense ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said that the crews of the Russian bombers that flew near the US destroyer respected all safety rules, according to Interfax news agency.

“Russia acted in accordance with international rules when its unarmed fighter jets buzzed the USS Donald Cook in the Baltic Sea,” he said.

The episode ended without incident, but Washington believes the overflights violates the Agreement on the Prevention of Incidents On and Over the High Seas, established between the Soviet Union and the United States in 1972 to prevent such unsafe incidents at sea.

The incidents come as tensions are on the rise between the two former Cold War foes over ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Syria.