The Russian Defense Ministry said a Russian warship had fired warning shots at a British missile destroyer from Russian waters near Crimea.

According to Russia, the Su-24 also dropped four bombs in the northwest Black Sea.

However, the British Ministry of Defense questioned this version of events, saying that Russia conducted previously planned shooting exercises in the Black Sea.

This afternoon, the Ministry of Defense said, that no shots were fired at the HMS Defender and no bombs fell in its path.

Russia wrote in its statement that the purpose of the measure is to prevent crossing the borders of the Russian state.

The target of the Russian bombing was the British destroyer HMS Defender, which has been in service since 2009.

First, several warning shots were fired at the Defender by a ship of the Russian Border Defense Forces. A few minutes later, the Su-24 was to drop four 250-kg bombs near a British ship.

Meanwhile, the British Ministry of Defense noted the incident.

“No warning shots were fired at the HMS Defender. The Royal Navy ship exercised the right of innocent passage (it ensures the navigation of all flags through the territorial sea – editor’s note) through Ukrainian territorial waters, in accordance with the principles of international law.” – stated in the statement.

Wednesday, June 23, 2021 at 2:04 pm