The incident began when the USS Yorktown, a guided-missile cruiser, was operating in the Black Sea, an area of significant strategic importance during the Cold War. The cruiser was on a scheduled mission, asserting its right to innocent passage through waters that the Soviet Union claimed as territorial. As the Yorktown attempted to maneuver, the Soviet frigate Bezzavetnyy deliberately collided with the cruiser, which was a blatant act of aggression and highlighted the extreme tensions that characterized U.S.-Soviet relations at the time. This confrontation took place during a period where both superpowers were engaged in aggressive posturing to assert their naval dominance in contested regions, particularly following the conclusion of the Reagan administration's policy of military expansion aimed at countering Soviet influence.

Following the incident, there were immediate concerns regarding the safety of naval personnel and the potential for further escalations between the two superpowers. The U.S. Navy had to assess potential damages and repercussions from the collision, and the event fueled diplomatic tensions, leading to further discussions and posturing in international forums. The act of ramming was condemned by the U.S. government and was seen as part of a larger pattern of risky naval encounters in the hostile environment during the later stages of the Cold War.