Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – Black Sea getting hotter. Netherlands accuses fighter jets Russia behaving aggressively to that country’s warships in those seas.
In a statement on Tuesday (29/6/2021), the Dutch Ministry of Defense explained that the incident took place last Thursday. The frigate HNMLS Evertsen, was ‘harassed’ repeatedly for five hours southeast of Crimea, which Russia claims.
“Russian jets, flying very low and close, carried out a feint attack,” the state agency said, quoted AFP.
“The fighter jet was armed with bombs and missiles… After hours of intimidation, interference also occurred in Eversten’s electronic equipment.”
Dutch Defense Minister Ank Bijleveld-Schouten said Russia’s actions were irresponsible. The Netherlands, he said, would talk to Russia about this.
“Evertsen has the right to sail there. There is no justification whatsoever for this kind of aggressive action, which also increases the risk of an accident unnecessarily,” he said.
In a statement last week, Russia’s Defense Ministry said the Black Sea Fleet deployed Su-30 fighter jets and Su-24 bombers to prevent border violations in Russian territorial waters. It says how Eversten got into the Kerch Strait.
“The flight of the Russian aircraft was carried out in accordance with international rules for the use of airspace,” he added, noting the Dutch ship left after the Russian ‘warning’ was issued.
Russia is said to have annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014. President Vladimir Putin’s country claims the waters around the peninsula as part of its territory, including the Kerch Strait at the eastern tip of Crimea.
Most countries do not recognize the takeover and support Ukraine’s claims to the waters. In 2018, Russian troops briefly boarded and took control of three Ukrainian naval vessels as they headed for the Kerch Strait.
Previously tensions also existed between Russia and Britain in the same sea. Russian fighter jets even threw warning shots and bombs at the British warship HMS Defender, which the Kremlin called entering its territory.
Britain denied any warning shots, insisting Russia was only conducting regular firing drills. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson defended the route taken by the Royal Navy destroyer.
Meanwhile, Ukraine and the United States (US) began Monday, launching joint naval exercises in the Black Sea. This is to show the West’s cooperation with Kiev.
(boss / boss)
– .
