Washington (CNN)The U.S.

Navy took the unusual step Monday of releasing video of

a Russian Su-24 aircraft flying past the right side of the guided missile destr
oyer USS Ross in the Black Sea.
The video was distributed to make clear that the airplanes and ship had a routin
e encounter, contrary to Russian reports. It shows a warplane approaching from t
he distance and then quickly zooming past the American vessel.
The Ross was 25 miles off the coast of Crimea in international waters when six R
ussian Su-24s went by.
The Russian aircraft were not armed, according to a U.S. defense official, and t
he entire matter was considered routine.
Russian media claimed that the planes forced the warship to head away from Russi
an territorial waters. But the U.S. Navy said the Ross never changed course and
proceeded on its mission, which was in international waters.
In a video released by U.S. Naval Forces Europe, one of the Russian planes is sh
own flying an estimated 500 meters (1,640 feet) off the side of the ship at an a
ltitude of 600 feet.