Russia summons British envoy Deborah Bronnert over 'terrorist attacks' on Black Sea fleet

On Thursday, the Russian Foreign Ministry called the British Ambassador to Russia Deborah Bronnert to express disapproval over the United Kingdom's participation in a "terrorist attack" in the Crimean port of Sevastopol against the Black Sea Fleet.

Amid the ongoing brutal war in Eastern Europe, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation said in a statement said, "In connection with the Defence Ministry’s reports about the United Kingdom’s involvement in the October 29 terrorist attack against the Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol, British Ambassador to Russia Deborah Bronnert was summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry on November 3.” 

According to the Russian MoFA, the Ukrainian Navy conducted dives and a target detonation exercise in the Black Sea and on the shore near the cities of Odessa, Nikolayev, as well as Ochakov with the help of British experts. 

According to The Guardian report, without offering any evidence, Russia has repeatedly accused the UK of being behind October 29, Saturday's attack in which a swarm of drones targeted Russia's Black Sea navy. 

Furthermore, the Russian Foreign Ministry said that the Ambassador received a vehement complaint over the British military specialists' active involvement in training and supplying the units of the Ukrainian special operations forces, especially with the intention of carrying out acts of sabotage at sea. It added, “Concrete facts of that kind of activities by London were provided.” 

The demarche further highlighted how such aggressive behaviour by the British raises the possibility of an escalation and might have unforeseen and catastrophic results. 

Russian Foreign Ministry on UK's involvement in Russia-Ukraine war

The Ministry also stressed that it was emphasised that this aggressive provocation was unacceptable, and it was demanded that they stop right now. If these aggressive measures, which have direct implications for the war, continue, only the British side will bear responsibility for their negative effects and the escalating tensions in their bilateral relations, the statement added. 

According to the ministry, “An agreement was reached in September 2020 between London and Kyiv to expand the British instructors’ training programme for Ukrainian military divers.” Further, it stated that the Naval Training Initiative for the Ukrainian Navy, which includes combat swimmer training programs, was put into action by the parties in late 2020. 

Ministry also underlined that the Joint Multinational Training Group - Ukraine initiative significantly strengthens naval cooperation between the United Kingdom and Ukraine. This work is done at a different Ataman Golovaty Special Operations Center "South" of the Ukrainian Special Operations Forces in the city of Ochakov, Nikolayev region, and it contains training underwater special operations personnel for carrying out operations in the Black Sea and Azov Sea.

Special operations divers are being trained in a military diving school in Odessa, which is a part of the 198th training facility for the Ukrainian Navy, Military Unit A3163, Nikolayev. This training includes deep-sea subversive techniques, among other things. 

The minesweeper personnel that was sent to Ukraine were taught by the British in the months of August and September, the ministry reported. 

Meanwhile, Moscow withdrew from a grain agreement involving the Black Sea as a result of the drone strike. Russia's Defense Ministry unexpectedly said on Wednesday that it will rejoin the agreement, breaking a standoff that threatened to spark a worldwide food crisis. 

(Image: AP)