Russia can strike civilian vessels near Crimea and blame Ukraine

Russia can strike civilian ships sailing off the coast of occupied Crimea, and then blame Ukraine for the attacks.

The invaders can resort to provocation under the guise of simulating a drone or missile attack on civilian ships, the head of the Ukrainian United Press Center “Pivden” Nataliya Humeniuk said.

She said that there is currently quite a lively navigation of civilian ships along the coast of the occupied Crimea in the Black Sea. Many foreign ships ply there.

In this zone, Russia can carry out a provocation by simulating a drone or missile attack on ships. Russia can fire at a foreign ship (or a Russian ship hidden under a foreign flag) and blame it on Ukraine.

Humeniuk noted that there is currently no navigation other than the one that passes near the Crimea.

Earlier, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation stated that it would consider vessels in the Black Sea waters bound for Ukrainian ports as potential carriers of military goods.

Later, the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine made a mirror statement, after which the Russians changed their rhetoric and clarified that they only plan to “inspect vessels” going to Ukrainian ports.