British warships and Russian jets face-off near Crimea; UK rejects Russian claims

London/Moscow: – Russia made a sensational claim that Russian jets dropped bombs in the path of a British warship, passing through Crimean waters, following warning shots by a Russian patrol vessel. The United Kingdom promptly dismissed the claim, and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson retaliated that the British Navy was committed to its values. Nevertheless, the incident indicates that the tension between the United Kingdom and Russia has festered further.

British warship HMS Defender was sailing from the Odessa port to Georgia. The marine region of Crimea, the part of Ukraine acquired by Russia, is considered the shortest route for this voyage. Therefore, the HMS Defender started sailing through 19 kilometres limit near Crimea. As per the Russian claims, HMS Defender was sailing through Russian waters, violating the international regulations. But the British warship said that Crimea is a part of Ukraine and, therefore, they were in Ukrainian waters.

Russia, agitated by the stand of the British warship, despatched its patrol ships for surveillance. The Russian patrols ships tried to change the course of the British warship. One of the patrol ships was as close as 100 metres from the British warship. Russia claimed that the Russian patrol ships fired warning shots near the British warship. Following the warning shots, Russian fighter jets started hovering over the British warship. The Russian defence forces claimed that a few fighter jets even dropped bombs into the sea to stop this British warship.

The United Kingdom promptly dismissed these Russian claims. Russia is holding exercises in the Black Sea region, and the patrol ships had been despatched for the practices. Furthermore, the British defence forces clarified that there have been no incidents of warning shots and dropping bombs in the sea. The British Prime Minister also endorsed the claim and asserted that the HMS Defender incident demonstrates that the British navy is committed to its values.

But it has been observed that Russia is adopting an aggressive stand in the matter. Russia summoned the British Ambassador on Wednesday. At the same time, Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia, Sergei Ryabkov, threatened that if the British warships come close to Crimea, they will be bombed. Meanwhile, on Wednesday, the Russian Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Russia, General Valery Gerasimov, issued a serious warning that Russia will use nuclear weapons.

Since the last few years, there have been constant clashes between Russia and the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom adopted a more aggressive stand against Russia after the Russian attack on Crimea in 2014. The United Kingdom stopped military cooperation with Russia and announced sanctions. Claims were also made that Russia tried to interfere in the British national referendum.

In 2018, the tension between the two countries peaked following an attack on a former Russian secret agent and his daughter carried out in the United Kingdom. The countries were distanced further on the issue of cyberattacks. Only last month, British Defence Minister, Wayne Wallace, warned that Russia is the biggest threat to British security.