Vladimir Putin is said to be planning a lethal attack after Russian troops faced a battering in the Black Sea.
In a recent statement, the United Kingdom has raised concerns about intelligence suggesting that Russia is plotting to target civilian cargo ships carrying grain in the Black Sea. The allegation claims that Russia plans to achieve this by laying sea mines and attributing any attacks to Ukraine.
Despite the claims, the UK did not provide concrete evidence for these claims. The revelation comes at a time when Ukraine appears to be gaining ground in the battle for control over the Black Sea. This area is vital for Kyiv, serving as its primary export route and also as a base for Russian attacks.
A senior Ukrainian official revealed that Russia has been laying more mines in the Black Sea to keep its ships away from the Ukrainian coastline, fearing strikes from Ukrainian missiles.
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In response, Ukraine has retaliated against Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, prompting speculation that Russia might have withdrawn some ships to safer waters.
While Ukraine’s counteroffensive has not yet resulted in a significant breakthrough on the battlefield, gaining control of the Black Sea could weaken Russia’s hold on the occupied Crimean Peninsula.
The British Foreign Office said in a statement Wednesday that Russia wants to “deter the export of Ukrainian grain” by targeting cargo ships.
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It added: “Information declassified today shows Russia may continue to target civilian shipping in the Black Sea, including by laying sea mines in the approach to Ukrainian ports.
“Russia almost certainly wants to avoid openly sinking civilian ships, instead falsely laying blame on Ukraine for any attacks against civilian vessels in the Black Sea.”
Ukraine has confirmed Russia’s increased mining activities in the Black Sea, with Andrii Chernyak, a spokesman for Ukraine’s military intelligence agency, stating that Russian warships are avoiding the Ukrainian coastline due to the fear of missile attacks. As a result, Russia has intensified its efforts to mine the sea extensively, making navigation in the Black Sea challenging.
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