U.K. Denies, Shots Fired at Warship incident Claimed by Russia

U.K. Denies Russia Claim Warning Shots Fired at Warship

Russia has said it used bombs and firearms in "warning" to force a British destroyer to leave its waters in the Black Sea, but the UK denied that, saying it may have been an "exercise" that did not affect the ship's planned voyage.

The Moscow Defense Ministry said the fighting took place on Wednesday in Cape Fiolent, south of the Sevastopol Crimean Crimean U.K. base with its allies who did not consider it a Russian territory after the 2014 deportation of President Vladimir Putin to the Ukrainian peninsula. Opposition accounts underscore the remaining tensions between the UK and Russia as Putin and the U.S. head to the polls.

Russia has said the Black Sea incident lasted about half an hour, when HMS Defender plunged into the waters claiming Moscow was about 2 miles (2 miles) and ignoring radio warnings. Defender continued after the Russian warship Border Patrol fired a shotgun, leaving the area where the Su-24 aircraft dropped four grenades in its path, the Department of Defense said.

The U.K. He denied the allegations, saying no warning guns were fired and saw that Russia was operating a "gun" in the area.

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"This morning, the HMS Defender flew from Odessa to Georgia across the Black Sea," said Secretary of Defense Ben Wallace. “As usual on this route, you have entered an internationally recognized corridor. You are out of that process safely on 0945BST. As usual, Russian ships covered his route and he was informed of the exercise in his wide area. ”
NATO international ships in Odesa

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.

— Ministry of Defence Press Office (@DefenceHQPress) June 23, 2021

HMS Defender arrives in the port of Odessa, Ukraine on June 18th.

Russia has called on the British ambassador and military aides in Moscow to boycott the incident and call for an investigation. The Department of Defense later released a 12-second video of the ship, but did not show any shooting or confrontation.

The BBC's Jonathan Beale reported on a defender that about 20 Russian planes were in the air around the ship and were shot, although it was thought they were not in a one-hour flight. Two Russian coastal boats covered the ship, sometimes just 100 meters away, and one threatened to shoot if the Defender did not change.

"Throughout the process, HMS Defender staff have been on the lookout for, and sometimes wear face masks, in the event of a fire," he wrote. "They didn't think that was going to happen, and it didn't happen."

Since the takeover, Russia has sent its planes and ships when the North Atlantic Treaty Organization sends ships to the area. During the tense situation in early 2014, the U.S. accused Russia of flying a dangerous fighter jet near a U.S. warship.

“Last month they said they had evicted us. This month bombs and arrows, ”a senior British official said in a text message. “More than Harry Potter's Tales!”

In May, Russia claimed to have fired another British warship from the area last year, confirming that London had abandoned it.

"Moscow is responding to a NATO-led protest march with a theatrical strike designed to show local political observers that we are ready and able to defend what we call the Russian territory - and to make history of expelling Western invaders. - without the risk of a military conflict, ”said Daragh McDowell, Russia's Chief Investigator working on the risk of Verisk Maplecroft.
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Russian military analysts say the use of weapons could be an extraordinary increase, if at all possible.

It was a privilege to host Minister for Defence Procurement @mp_quin and Deputy Defence Minister of Ukraine for the signing of a significant Memoranda of Implementation witnessed by the First Sea Lord @AdmTonyRadakin @UKinUkraine #CSG21 #GlobalBritain #StrongerTogether pic.twitter.com/3NQYza8WVV

— HMS Defender (@HMSDefender) June 21, 2021

 

“Thank God it didn’t cause any casualties -- the common sense of the British commander has to be saluted,” said Maxim Shepovalenko, a retired Russian naval captain who is deputy head of the Moscow-based Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies, a defense industry consultancy. “Both sides seem keen now to draw a line under the affair.”

The Defender on Tuesday left the Ukrainian port of Odessa, where officials signed agreements implementing the U.K.’s program to help Ukraine build up its navy, according to the ship’s Twitter account. Reached last October, the deal includes refurbishment of existing ships and delivery of new ones.

The U.K. said the ship’s route Wednesday was the most direct one between Ukraine and Georgia, its next destination.