Russian ship fires warning shots at UK warship in Black Sea

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2021-06-23 12:30:02

A Russian warship fired warning shots and a warplane dropped bombs Wednesday to force a British destroyer from waters near Crimea in the Black Sea, the Russian Defense Ministry said, claiming those waters belonged to Russia.

The incident marked the first time since the Cold War when Moscow used live ammunition to deter a NATO warship, reflecting soaring Russia-West tensions.

The ministry said the Russian warship fired warning shots after the British missile destroyer Defender had ignored a notice against intrusion in Russia’s territorial waters. It said that a Russian Su-24 bomber also dropped bombs ahead of the British ship to persuade it to change course.

The U.K. Ministry of Defense responded in a tweet, claiming the Royal Navy ship was in Ukrainian waters in accordance with international law.

Russia annexed Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula in 2014, a move that was not recognized by most countries in the world. Russia has frequently chafed at NATO warships visits near Crimea, casting them as destabilizing.