US

Republican Congressman Tweets Out Image Of Russian Warship To Wish US Navy Happy Birthday

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Republican Florida Rep. Brian Mast wished the U.S. Navy a happy birthday using a picture of a warship Sunday in a since-deleted tweet, but the ship apparently was not American.

The U.S. Navy originated 244 years ago in 1775, and its birthday falls on Oct. 13. Mast accidentally tweeted out a picture of a Russian warship when wishing the Navy a happy birthday, according to Dave Brown, deputy defense editor at Politico. He deleted the tweet shortly after and replaced it with a video.

Naval warfare journalist Chris Cavas identified the ship as Russian, Brown added. The ship in the now-deleted tweet is actually the Russian battlecruiser Pyotr Velikiy, according to Brown.

That’s the Russian battlecruiser Pyotr Velikiy pic.twitter.com/FJKsRYU1g0

— Dave Brown (@dave_brown24) October 13, 2019

Mast’s new tweet is a video from the U.S. Navy about its birthday. The congressman is a U.S. Army veteran who lost both of his legs and a finger during an explosion while serving. He is a Purple Heart recipient.

“Happy birthday to the US Navy! To the men and women who serve to keep our waters safe, we thank you,” the new tweet reads.

The U.S. and Russia has been on tense terms, with the U.S. Navy accusing Russia of intercepting a U.S. aircraft as tensions rose with Moscow, CNN reported. Two ships from each country almost collided July 5 as well, with the U.S. blaming Russia for an “unsafe maneuver.”

“We consider Russia’s actions during this interaction as unsafe and unprofessional and not in accordance with … internationally recognized maritime customs,” according to a statement from the Navy.

China and Russia have reached an “unprecedented level” of cooperation, according to Russian leader Vladimir Putin after a July meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, according to CNN.

Mast’s office did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.