HMS Defender

[cromwell]

I don't think that nine miles off from the Crimean Coast and nine miles away from the Port of Sevastapol is International Waters in anyones book.
There is an International Waterway (as opposed to simply outside of territorial waters) through Russian Territorial Waters, through the Straits of Kersh, into the Sea of Azoz, which is on the East Side of the Crimean Peninsular.
Sevastopol is however on the South West of the Peninsular.

Nor incidentally was "International Waters" being used by the media when the story first broke. The words being used were (as I recall) "Britain does not recognise Crimea as Russian Territory and the HMS Defender was cruising in the area at the invitation of the Ukrainian Government". The clear implication of this is that the Territorial waters around Crimea still belong to the Ukraine and so HMS Defender is legally entitled to cruise within them as Kiev has told them it is ok.
This therefore was simply a provocation, as the Crimea is very clearly Russian Territory, as even a cursory understanding of its people and history, equally clearly demonstrate.

Clearly you never read your history,the Tartars were the indigenous people of the Crimea for centuries and over recent times many forcibly removed......not least by Stalins brutality which saw the majority of those left sent to siberia.

[Sampanviking]

I don't think that nine miles off from the Crimean Coast and nine miles away from the Port of Sevastapol is International Waters in anyones book.
There is an International Waterway (as opposed to simply outside of territorial waters) through Russian Territorial Waters, through the Straits of Kersh, into the Sea of Azoz, which is on the East Side of the Crimean Peninsular.
Sevastopol is however on the South West of the Peninsular.

Nor incidentally was "International Waters" being used by the media when the story first broke. The words being used were (as I recall) "Britain does not recognise Crimea as Russian Territory and the HMS Defender was cruising in the area at the invitation of the Ukrainian Government". The clear implication of this is that the Territorial waters around Crimea still belong to the Ukraine and so HMS Defender is legally entitled to cruise within them as Kiev has told them it is ok.
This therefore was simply a provocation, as the Crimea is very clearly Russian Territory, as even a cursory understanding of its people and history, equally clearly demonstrate.

[papasmurf]

Not like that no he doesn't. I have never heard of a Russian ship coming into British Territorial waters and certainly not in the vicinity of a Major Royal Navy Dockyard.
The media have an attack of the vapours simply when the Russians sail through the North Sea and those are definitely International Waters.
The UK and US need to start following proper International Law and not this newly invented and mind numbingly dumb refrain of a "Rules Based Order" which is literally the US Empire telling the world to do as it says and not as it does.

HMS Defender was in an internationally recognised shipping lane.

[Sampanviking]

So you say,international charts say otherwise.

Of course Putin never tests our airspace or waters on a regular basis does he?

Not like that no he doesn't. I have never heard of a Russian ship coming into British Territorial waters and certainly not in the vicinity of a Major Royal Navy Dockyard.
The media have an attack of the vapours simply when the Russians sail through the North Sea and those are definitely International Waters.
The UK and US need to start following proper International Law and not this newly invented and mind numbingly dumb refrain of a "Rules Based Order" which is literally the US Empire telling the world to do as it says and not as it does.

[cromwell]

I suspect it did receive warning fire and that warning bombs were dropped.
There is no doubt that the ship was in Russian Territorial Waters and very close to the main Russian Naval Base at Sevastopol.
A pointless exercise really that puts UK serviceman at great potential risk and all so a bunch of both trendy liberals and inbred Tufton Buftons in our Political Class can claim "we are standing up to Russia"

HMS Defender is part of the group being sent to the South China Seas. What can I say, at least the MOD had the good sense to lead the group with the Queen Elizabeth and not the "Prince of Wales".

So you say,international charts say otherwise.

Of course Putin never tests our airspace or waters on a regular basis does he?

[Sampanviking]

I suspect it did receive warning fire and that warning bombs were dropped.
There is no doubt that the ship was in Russian Territorial Waters and very close to the main Russian Naval Base at Sevastopol.
A pointless exercise really that puts UK serviceman at great potential risk and all so a bunch of both trendy liberals and inbred Tufton Buftons in our Political Class can claim "we are standing up to Russia"

HMS Defender is part of the group being sent to the South China Seas. What can I say, at least the MOD had the good sense to lead the group with the Queen Elizabeth and not the "Prince of Wales".

[cromwell]

Wasn't fired at or warned off with bombs,the RN is doing its bit in ensuring international waters are just that.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-57583363