UK denies Russia fired warning shots at navy ship off Crimea

Moscow, Jun 23 (EFE).- Russia on Wednesday summoned the United Kingdom’s ambassador following an apparent naval stand-off near Crimea in the Black Sea.

Russia, which illegally annexed the territory from Ukraine in 2014, said its navy had fired warning shots and dropped bombs in the path of the HMS Defender.

Contradicting Moscow’s line, the UK Ministry of Defense said no shots were directed at the Royal Navy vessel, which was “conducting innocent passage through Ukrainian territorial waters.”

“We do not recognize the claim that bombs were dropped in her path,” it added.

A Royal Navy statement said the ship in question was in the region for Nato exercises and currently detached from its task force to carry out its own set of missions.

“We believe the Russians were undertaking a gunnery exercise in the Black Sea and provided the maritime community with prior-warning of their activity,” the MoD said in a statement.

Russia claims the incident happened near Cape Fiolent in the south of Crimea.

The UK does not recognize Crimea as Russian territory. EFE

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