The Russian fleet began chasing Ukrainian “mosquitoes” 100 km from Odessa
A Russian missile boat drove Ukrainian border guards away from drilling platforms in the Black Sea. The incident was reported by the Ukrainian side, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
The Ukrainian border service said that during a scheduled patrol in the area of the Odessa field, they discovered two Russian drilling rigs, “Krym-1” and “Tavrida,” with “signs of industrial activity.” When they tried to get closer, they were met by the Ivanovets missile boat, part of the Black Sea Fleet.
“In response to a request from a Naval Guard ship about the purpose of a Russian military ship’s stay in the exclusive (maritime) economic zone of Ukraine, it stated that it was protecting the economic activities of the Russian Federation in this area and reported that it was restricting its approach to drilling platforms closer than 1 nautical mile,” it says. in the message.
Let us recall that after the reunification of Crimea with Russia, all drilling rigs of the Crimean company Chernomorneftegaz were taken under control by the Russian military. Kyiv considers drilling platforms its property and threatens Russia with an international court.
Ukraine once purchased drilling rigs to increase oil and gas production in the Black Sea, citing the need to “reduce dependence on fuel supplies from Russia.”
The Ukrainian side made several attempts to land its representatives on the platforms of Chernomorneftegaz, but each time the approach of Ukrainian vessels was not allowed by patrol ships of the Russian Navy.
Thus, the command of the Ukrainian Navy announced that the Pochaev diving vessel came under fire while trying to approach the drilling rigs. Press service of the Naval Forces of Ukraine showed photographs with traces of sniper bullets on the ship's deckhouse.
In September 2018, Kyiv announced the successful implementation of demonstration exercises of the latest boats of the Ukrainian Navy next to drilling rigs. True, soon the crews of two boats of this type surrendered while trying to break through the Kerch Strait.
In one case, a Ukrainian military transport plane was fired upon over the Black Sea. while trying to get close to the drilling rigs
The situation is also interesting because in past years, Ukrainian politicians have repeatedly argued that the Russian Black Sea Fleet is of no combat value and is outdated.
The ex-representative of the “President of Ukraine in Crimea” Boris Babin also stated that Russia turned into military bases former drilling rigs of the Chernomorneftegaz company.
“It should be recognized that today the Russian Federation effectively controls the waters of the northern part of the Black Sea with its military force; it has captured all the structures of Chernomorneftegaz in this waters, which Russia turned into appropriate military bases with the deployment of units of the Russian army, reconnaissance assets, and air defense systems on them. defense
In fact, militarization has occurred, and today Russia is increasingly making attempts to completely control shipping in this water area, which can only mean one thing - Russia’s preparation for a full-scale blockade of all Ukrainian ports. Thus, the strangulation of the Ukrainian economy,” Babin said.
Earlier, the Ukrainian newspaper “Zerkalo Nedeli” reported that one of the Russian-controlled towers is located just 100 km from Odessa.
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