LONDON (Reuters) – Britain said on Wednesday no Russian warning shots were fired at a British navy ship in the Black Sea and did not recognise claims that bombs were dropped in its path.
Interfax cited Russia’s defence ministry as saying that a Russian military ship fired warning shots at a British Royal Navy destroyer after it entered Russian waters in the Black Sea, and a Russian jet dropped bombs in its path as a warning.
“We believe the Russians were undertaking a gunnery exercise in the Black Sea and provided the maritime community with prior-warning of their activity,” Britain’s Ministry of Defence said in a statement on Twitter.
“No shots were directed at HMS Defender and we do not recognise the claim that bombs were dropped in her path.”
(Reporting by Andrew MacAskill; editing by William James)