Black Sea - The African Mirror

Nov

2022

Putin: We could quit grain deal again, but would not block grain for Turkey

PRESIDENT Vladimir Putin reserved Russia's right to withdraw again from an international agreement allowing Ukraine to export grain via the Black Sea, after ending four days of non-cooperation with the deal. If Russia did so, however, Putin said it would not impede shipments of grain from Ukraine to Turkey. Moscow had on Saturday pulled out of the arrangement, brokered by Turkey and the United Nations, saying it could not guarantee the safety of civilian ships crossing the Black Sea because of a drone attack on its fleet there. Wednesday's U-turn followed a phone call between Putin and Turkish President Tayyip…

Jul

2021

By The African Mirror

Kremlin says ‘provocations’ like UK warship episode demand tough response

WORLD

A British warship's entry into what Moscow considers Russian territorial waters near Crimea last month is the kind of provocation that demands a tough response, the Kremlin has warned. President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that Russia, which fired warning shots and dropped bombs in the path of the warship to chase it out of Black Sea waters off the coast of Crimea, could have sunk the warship. Moscow challenged the right of HMS Defender to pass through waters near Crimea, something London said it had every right to do. Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 but most of…

Jun

2021

By The African Mirror

Dutch defence minister: “irresponsible” Russian jets harassed frigate in Black Sea

WORLD

THE Netherlands' defence minister said on Tuesday that Russian fighter jets armed with air-to-surface missiles had harassed a Dutch navy frigate in the Black Sea earlier this month, conducting mock attacks and jamming communication systems. The Russian actions took place over the span of five hours on June 24 and violated rights to free use of the sea, the ministry said. The frigate, Evertsen, was sailing with Britain's Carrier Strike Group, which was carrying out a patrol in the area at the time. Defence Minister Ank Bijleveld-Schouten called the Russian action "irresponsible". The "Evertsen has every right to sail there,"…

Jun

2021

By The African Mirror

Russia warns Britain it will bomb ships next time

WORLD

GUY FAULCONBRIDGE and KATYA GOLUBKOVA RUSSIA has warned Britain that it would bomb British naval vessels in the Black Sea if there were any further provocative actions by the British navy off the coast of Russia-annexed Crimea. Russia summoned the British ambassador in Moscow for a formal diplomatic scolding after the warship breached what the Kremlin says are its territorial waters but which Britain and most of the world say belong to Ukraine. Britain said Russia was giving an inaccurate account of the incident. No warning shots had been fired and no bombs had been dropped in the path of…

Jun

2021

By The African Mirror

Russia fires warning shots, bombs at British warship

WORLD

MARIA KISELYOVA and ANDREW MacASKILL RUSSIA has revealed that it fired warning shots and dropped bombs in the path of a British warship to chase it out of waters Moscow claims in the Black Sea off the coast of the Crimea peninsula. Britain rejected Russia's account of the incident, saying it believed any shots fired were a pre-announced Russian "gunnery exercise", and that no bombs had been dropped. But it confirmed that its destroyer, HMS Defender, had sailed through what it described as waters belonging to Ukraine. The ship was "conducting an innocent passage through Ukrainian territorial waters in accordance…