(CNN) – The United States and Russian navies are at odds over an apparent near collision in the Pacific Friday with each side blaming the other.
The U.S. Navy says the two ships came so close together that the U.S. ship was forced to throw it in reverse and hit the gas.
The USS Chancellorsville cruiser, seen on the right, came within 50-to-165 feet of a Russian destroyer, on the left.
U.S. officials say the Russian ship made a dangerous maneuver, forcing the cruiser to put all engines in reverse to avoid a collision.
Russian officials say it was the U.S. warship that instigated the incident.
Experts say the wake coming off the side of the Russian ship indicates it made a steep turn at a high rate of speed.
The USS Chancellorsville was conducting helicopter operations at the time, so it was unable to turn.
The Navy says the incident happened in the Philippine Sea while Russian media is reporting it was in the East China Sea.
The incident comes three days after the U.S. accused Russia of intercepting a U.S. aircraft three times in as many hours over the Mediterranean Sea.
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