Russia fires warning shots to stop a UK warship in the Black Sea, warplane drops bombs on British destroyer from the Russian Black Sea.
A Russian warship hurled warning shots and a warplane dropped bombs on Wednesday to overpower a British destroyer from waters near Crimea in the Black Sea, as the Russian Defense Ministry claimed those waters belonged to Russia.
The episode was the first time since the Cold War when Moscow used live ammunition to prevent a NATO warship, indicating new Russia-West tensions rising up again.
The ministry said the Russian warship fired warning shots after the British missile destroyer Defender had disregarded a notice against invasion in Russia’s territorial waters. It said that a Russian Su-24 bomber also dropped bombs ahead of the British ship to urge it to change course, which was like an advanced warning that it snubbed.
The U.K. Ministry of Defense did not promptly respond to a request for explanations leading to the event.
Going back in time, Russia annexed Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula in 2014, a movement that was not accepted by most countries in the world. Russia has repeatedly disturbed NATO warships visits near Crimea, counting them as destabilizing.
NATO members Turkey, Greece, Romania and Bulgaria all are on the Black Sea, but warships from the U.S., U.K. and other NATO allies also have made more frequent visits to validate their support to Ukraine.
The UK Ministry of Defence denied Russia’s account, saying: “No warning shots have been fired at HMS Defender. The Royal Navy ship is conducting innocent passage through Ukrainian territorial waters in accordance with international law.”
“Innocent passage” is an internationally recognized right for ships to sail through territorial waters of a country, granted they mean no harm.
Western countries are conducting naval exercises this week in the Black Sea known as Sea Breeze.