Russia Concerned Over Kiev's 'Terrorist Activity' in Black Sea

MOSCOW, June 2. /TASS/ Russia is concerned over the escalation of the Kiev regime’s terrorist activity in the Black Sea where Ukrainian troops carry out bandit-style raids on ships and blame this on Russia, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said.

"We are concerned about the Kiev regime’s apparent increase of its terrorist activity in the Black Sea, which worsens conditions of and creates risks to civilian navigation," she said. "We insist that removing any security threats in the region is one of the major elements of a comprehensive settlement of the crisis around Ukraine."

"But so far, we see a typical trend: Ukrainian troops carry out bandit-style raids on vessels using uncrewed boats or drones and then blame this on Russia," she added.

According to Zakharova, Moscow has taken note of yet another provocation that was obviously meant to destabilize the situation in the Black Sea, when Ukrainian uncrewed boats attacked tankers off Turkey and near the Bosporus Strait on May 28. "These actions, targeting civilian commercial vessels, once again exposed the Kiev junta’s complete disregard of the principles and norms of international law, despite its denial of any involvement in such incidents," the Russian diplomat stressed.

Investigation

According to Zakharova, such provocations, that are nothing but terror attacks, must be thoroughly and objectively investigated and clearly and publicly condemned by all littoral countries which bear responsibility for safe navigation in the Black Sea."

"Naturally, both the masterminds and perpetrators must be held accountable for this outrageous banditry," she stressed, adding that Moscow reiterates its "readiness for close cooperation with Ankara in the interests of finding optimal ways of stabilizing the Black Sea situation and effectively pressuring Kiev."