Russian Defense Ministry Describes Defender's Actions In Black Sea As Epic Fiasco

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 25th June, 2021) The Russian Defense Ministry's spokesman, Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov, slammed the actions of the UK destroyer Defender, which illegally crossed into Russia's territorial waters, as an epic fiasco, and called on the UK navy and the Pentagon not to tempt fate in the Black Sea.

Earlier this week, Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby said that, according to the UK Ministry of Defense, the Russian statements on warning shots fired to drive the ship from the Russian territorial waters were disinformation

"Who, if not former Rear Admiral Kirby, should be aware that for the Russian armed forces, which reliably guard the security of Crimea, the Defender destroyer anywhere in the Black Sea is just a fat target for the anti-ship complexes of the Black Sea Fleet?" Konashenkov noted.

The Russian Defense Ministry is calling on the Pentagon and the UK navy command "not to tempt fate in vain" in the Black Sea but to be "guided by reason," the spokesman added.

Konashenkov also described the provocations of Defender, which abruptly changed course after the warning shots, as an "epic fiasco," which will remain "a spot on the reputation of the Royal Navy for a long time."

"Therefore, we are not surprised by convulsive attempts of official London and Pentagon spokesman John Kirby - even after the publication by Russia of the video recording of the warning shots and direct evidence of the destroyer crew - to deny the obvious, calling everything disinformation," Konashenkov concluded.