Four landing ship tanks, including one with its deck full of military trucks, were seen sailing in the Pacific Ocean westbound in the middle of last week, likely heading to Ukraine.
Russia also has expanded and modified a naval base in the Syrian port of Tartus, the only such facility that Russia has outside the former Soviet Union.
The alleged incident came as Russia and China conducted joint naval drills in the area, and follows other close encounters involving Russian and Western warships.
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