According to the Defense Ministry, Russia fired shots and dropped bombs in Moscow to warn a British warship in the Black Sea. The state agency Tass reported on Wednesday, not far from the Crimean peninsula, three kilometers into Russian territorial waters, citing the ministry. The British government denied this.
The Moscow Ministry declared the occupation of the British HMS Defender initially did not respond to warnings. A border patrol ship then fired warning shots. Subsequently, four aircraft bombs were “preventively” on the course of the Defender been dropped. The British destroyer then left the area. There were reportedly no injuries.
The Ministry of Defense in London said on Twitter: “We believe that the Russians have carried out target practice in the Black Sea.” These were announced in advance. There were no shots targeting them Defender had been directed. The claim that bombs were dropped on the ship’s course is also not recognized. The Defender was on a “harmless passage” through Ukrainian waters in accordance with international law, the statement said.
The deputy chief of the defense committee in the Russian parliament, Yuri Schwytkin, said all attempts of this kind to violate the borders of Russia would be strongly repelled. The Black Sea Fleet and the FSB, the domestic secret service responsible for border protection, acted in accordance with international rules. After the incident at Cape Fiolent in the southwest of the Crimean peninsula, the British military attaché was summoned to the Russian Ministry of Defense, it was said in Moscow.
Warning to the USA
The incident took place against the backdrop of the two-week “Sea Breeze” maneuver in the Black Sea, which, according to US information, is due to begin next Monday. It was suspected that the British warship also wanted to take part in the international military exercise under US leadership.
Russia had previously urged the United States and its allies not to hold this maneuver in the Black Sea. “The extent and the obviously aggressive nature of the military exercises in no way correspond to the actual security needs in the Black Sea region,” said the Russian embassy in the USA on Twitter. This increases the risk of “unintentional incidents”. Every problem can be solved by the neighboring states themselves without “outside help” being “forced”.
With 32 participating countries from six continents, 5,000 soldiers, 32 ships, 40 aircraft and 18 special operations and diving teams, it is the largest such exercise to date, according to US information. Ukraine will host the maneuver. These annual exercises have been around since 1997.
This time the maneuver is being held against the backdrop of renewed tensions between Moscow and the West. In the spring, Russian and Ukrainian troop marches along the conflict zone in eastern Ukraine raised concerns that the conflict between Russia and Ukraine could escalate again. There are repeated incidents at sea and in the air because Russia sees its air and sea borders violated. The annexation of Crimea is not recognized internationally, which is why the government in Kiev sees it as Ukrainian territory.
For almost seven years, parts of the eastern Ukrainian areas of Donetsk and Luhansk along the Russian border have been controlled by separatists loyal to Moscow. Russia occupied the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea in 2014. In the spring, the US wanted to send warships into the Black Sea, but after massive criticism from Russia, it refrained from doing so.