CANBERRA - Australia's defence forces continued to monitor a fleet of Russian navy warships traveling through international waters towards the country's north, which has sparked a flurry of concerned responses from the nation's public on Thursday morning.
Alarmist media reports stoked the tension between Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Russian President Vladimir Putin, with the country's most high-profile tabloid newspapers carrying headlines about the Russian vessels that steamed towards Australia from the Solomon Islands ahead of the upcoming G20 summit in Brisbane.
The fleet, which departed Russia on Oct 23, includes a cruiser named "Varyag", a destroyer named "Marshal Shaposhnikov", a salvage and rescue tug and a replenishment oiler.
Asked at a media conference if the Russian warships' arrival off the coast of Australia was a show of Putin's strength, Defence Force chief Mark Binskin said: "You'd have to ask the Russians."
Australia's Defence Department moved, however, to ease fears on Wednesday night by saying Russia's movements were "consistent" with international law for military vessels.
The department did admit, however, that while the warships' journey was not uncommon, Australia would still monitor the convoy.
"Defence is monitoring Russian naval vessels that are currently transiting through international waters to the north of Australia, " the statement read.
"Defence regularly undertakes maritime surveillance patrols in the approaches to Australia.
"The movement of these vessels are entirely consistent with provisions under international law for military vessels to exercise freedom of navigation in international waters."
"Russian naval vessels have previously been deployed in conjunction with major international summits, such as the APEC meeting in Singapore in 2009," the Department of Defence statement continued.
"A warship from Russia's Pacific Fleet also accompanied former Russian President Medvedev's visit to San Francisco in 2010."
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