Russia ready to open fire on foreign vessels that illegally enter its territorial waters

• Statement comes after Russian claims of chasing away US submarine in former's territorial waters 
• Russian official says any such decision would be taken only at "highest level".
• United States denies carrying out military operations in Russian territorial waters.

MOSCOW: A senior Russian military official on Monday said Russia was ready to open fire on foreign ships and submarines that illegally enter its territorial waters, the Interfax news agency reported.

Any such decision would, however, be taken only at the "highest level", the official said.

The United States on Saturday denied that it had carried out military operations in Russian territorial waters, after Moscow said a Russian naval vessel chased away a US submarine in Russian waters in the Pacific.