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Ccrisis of Confidence

In January 1988, the United States learned that the Soviet Union's new aircraft carrier would undergo its final sea trials in the Black Sea in February of the same year. To obtain intelligence, the United States, Turkey, and Greece planned to conduct military exercises in the southwestern waters of the Black Sea and seize the opportunity to spy on the Soviet aircraft carrier battle group. On February 1st, the exercise code-named "Outlook 88" officially began. On the 4th, 6th, and 10th, the US Navy's Yorktown guided missile cruiser and the USS Caron destroyer conducted multiple reconnaissance missions near the Soviet Black Sea Fleet south of the port of Sevastopol, and were driven away by the Soviet Navy. The Soviet side warned the US Navy to stay away from the training area of the Black Sea Fleet and refrain from interfering with its daily training. On February 12, 1988, the frigates Bezzavetny and SKR-06 were tasked with driving away the US ships. After multiple warnings went unheeded, Bezzavetny and SKR-06 rammed the Yorktown and Caron respectively, attempting to forcibly remove the American vessels. However, the American ships did not alter their course and activated their fire control radars to illuminate the Soviet frigates, warning them to stay away. The Soviet frigates responded aggressively by illuminating the American fleet with their own fire control radars. At this point, both naval headquarters issued orders to their ships to not compromise with the other side and to complete their missions at any cost, making a conflict inevitable...