The
British Ministry of Defence did not immediately respond to a
request for comment.
The HMS Defender left Russian waters soon after the incident,
having ventured as much as 3 kilometres (2 miles) inside, the
Russian ministry said, adding that the confrontation took place
near Cape Fiolent, a landmark on the coast of Crimea.
Russia annexed the Crimean peninsula from Ukraine in 2014 in a
move condemned by the West which still considers it Ukrainian
territory.
"The destroyer had been warned that weapons would be used if it
trespasses the border of the Russian Federation. It did not
react to the warning," it said.
A Russian bomber dropped four high explosive fragmentation bombs
as a warning in the British destroyer's path, according to the
Russian ministry.
(Reporting by Olzhas Auyezov; Editing by Toby Chopra and Peter
Graff)
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