Commentary It is almost incomprehensible—the UK’s warship, identified formally as Delta 36, but named HMS Defender, entered Russian claimed waters around Crimea, which the UK does not recognize but knows full well about Russia’s sensitivity in this Black Sea area. In a drama lasting more than six minutes, an unnamed Russian Coast Guard ship demanded the British ship exit, radio telephoning HMS Defender with the message: “Keep Away from Borderline. Change Course to Starboard. You break the rule of innocent passage. If you don’t change course to starboard, I will fire.” For a while Defender replied it was an innocent passage in international waters, but after three warning shots and flyovers by at least three Su-24 aircraft, Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s warship turned right (starboard) and left Russia’s claimed waters, still insisting it was in international waters and accusing the Russians of “unprofessional” conduct. The Russian reaction was very tough. It contested the …
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