The Ministry of Defence has denied claims that Russia fired at a British ship this morning, claiming that the “Russians were undertaking a gunnery exercise in the Black Sea and provided the maritime community with prior-warning of their activity”.
No warning shots have been fired at HMS Defender.
— Ministry of Defence Press Office (@DefenceHQPress) June 23, 2021
The Royal Navy ship is conducting innocent passage through Ukrainian territorial waters in accordance with international law.
Contradictory reports, however, suggest the Russian Navy’s Su-24 attack aircraft dropped four bombs along the path of the British Royal Navy’s HMS Defender destroyer to “stop” it from further manoeuvres. That would make it the first time since the Cold War that Russia has used live ammunition to deter a Nato vessel…
The Russian military claims that at 11.52 am a British destroyer crossed the Russian sea border, and Russia responded with warning shots after the British ship ignored verbal warnings. The confrontation comes as the UK today announced it would support Ukranian naval capabilities around Crimea…
