DISINFO: UK warship sailing on the Black Sea was provocation against Russia
SUMMARY
The British warship [which sailed on the Black Sea near Russia-occupied territorites] committed a provocation. This was a conscious and planned action.
RESPONSE
This is an emerging disinformation narrative about the presence of the UK Navy in the Black Sea and a recurring disinformation narrative about the status of Crimea, aimed at justifying Russia's occupation of the peninsula from Ukraine seven years ago and depicting NATO as an aggressor against Kremlin-controlled territory.
On 23 June, the UK Ministry of Defence Press Office mentioned that "the Royal Navy ship [was] conducting innocent passage through Ukrainian territorial waters in accordance with international law." UK Secretary of State for Defence added that the ship "carried out a routine transit from Odesa towards Georgia across the Black Sea" through internationally recognised Ukrainian territorial waters.
Additionally, the fact that the passage of HMS Defender from a maritime area that is still internationally recognised as Ukrainian territorial waters is somehow connected to NATO's exercises so as to provoke Russian aggression is simply not valid. NATO is a defensive alliance, whose purpose is to protect its member states. During the Warsaw summit in July 2016, NATO has made it clear that: "The Alliance does not seek confrontation and poses no threat to Russia".
The Alliance announces its military exercises well in advance and they are subject to international observation. NATO strongly supports efforts to build confidence and transparency in military activities and exercises. Exercises like Sea Breeze and Defender Europe 2021 are purely defensive in nature and are organised for NATO Allies and partners to strengthen and fortify the level of interoperability.
Similar messages also imply that NATO-Ukraine joint war games threaten Russia's security and serve as a justification of its military build-up along Ukraine’s border.
Russia occupied Crimea in March 2014. No international body has recognised the so-called referendum in Crimea, not the UN, nor the EU or the UK. UNGA Resolution 68/262, which condemned Russia's illegal actions in Ukraine, was supported by 100 United Nations member states. Only 10 states opposed it.
See more cases related to Crimea here.