London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, Feb 08, 2026

Russian Defense Ministry summons British Defense Attache over Black Sea 'warning shots' dispute

Russian Defense Ministry summons British Defense Attache over Black Sea 'warning shots' dispute

British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said he's 'not surprised' by Russia's 'false' claims

The Russian Defense Ministry summoned the Defense Attache at the British Embassy after British officials dismissed claims that Russia fired shots at a Royal Navy destroyer.

The spat started Wednesday morning when Russian defense officials claimed that a border patrol boat fired shots at the HMS Defender after it entered territorial waters in the Black Sea.

Additionally, a Su-24M warplane allegedly dropped four bombs close to the ship, Sky News reported. The exchange may have taken place near the coast of Crimea.


The British Military of Defense immediately pushed back on the claims, instead stating that no warning shots were fired, nor were any bombs dropped near the warship.


"The Royal Navy ship is conducting innocent passage through Ukrainian territorial waters in accordance with international war," the ministry tweeted. "We believe the Russians were undertaking a gunnery exercise in the Black Sea and provided the maritime community with prior-warning of their activity."

"No shots were directed at HMS Defender and we do not recognise the claim that bombs were dropped in her path."

Russian officials responded to the U.K.’s rebuke by summoning the Defense Attache.

British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace appeared before the Commons Defense Committee, reportedly confirming that crewmembers did hear "training noises" but nothing within "visual range."

He also claimed that Russia has previously made false statements of driving out British ships in the Black Sea.

"These are the things that come and go with Russia. Disinformation, misinformation is something that we have seen regularly. We are not surprised by it," Wallace said. "We plan for it and we take all steps to make sure we are not escalatory or provocative.

"As is normal for this route, she entered an internationally recognised traffic separation corridor," Wallace said in a public statement. "She exited that corridor safely at 0945 BST. As is routine, Russian vessels shadowed her passage and she was made aware of training exercises in her wider vicinity."

Russia annexed Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula in 2014, a move that wasn’t recognized by most countries in the world. Russia has frequently chafed at NATO warships visits to the Black Sea, casting them as destabilizing, even though NATO members Turkey, Greece, Romania and Bulgaria all are on the Black Sea.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
UK Confirms Imminent Increase in ETA Fee to £20 as Entry Rules Tighten
UK Signals Possible Seizure of Russia-Linked ‘Shadow Fleet’ Tanker in Escalation of Sanctions Enforcement
Epstein Scandal Piles Unprecedented Pressure on UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Leadership
UK’s ‘Most Romantic Village’ Celebrates Valentine’s Day and Explores the Festival’s Rich History
The Implications of Expanding Voting Rights to Non-EU Foreign Residents in France
Ghislaine Maxwell to Testify Before US Congress on February 9
Al.com Acquired by Crypto.com Founder for $70 Million
Apple iPhone Lockdown Mode blocks FBI data access in journalist device seizure
Belgium: Man Charged with Rape After Faking Payment to Sex Worker
KPMG Urges Auditor to Relay AI Cost Savings
US and Iran to Begin Nuclear Talks in Oman
Winklevoss-Led Gemini to Slash a Quarter of Jobs and Exit European and Australian Markets
Canada Opens First Consulate in Greenland Amid Rising Geopolitical Tensions
China unveils plans for a 'Death Star' capable of launching missile strikes from space
NASA allows astronauts to take smartphones on upcoming missions to capture special moments.
Trump administration to launch TrumpRx.gov for direct drug purchases
Investigation Launched at Winter Olympics Over Ski Jumpers Injecting Hyaluronic Acid
U.S. State Department Issues Urgent Travel Warning for Citizens to Leave Iran Immediately
Wall Street Erases All Gains of 2026; Bitcoin Plummets 14% to $63,000
Epstein Case Documents Reignite Global Scrutiny of Political and Business Elites
Eighty-one-year-old man in the United States fatally shoots Uber driver after scam threat
UK Royal Family Faces Intensifying Strain as Epstein-Linked Revelations Rock the Institution
Political Censorship: French Prosecutors Raid Musk’s X Offices in Paris
AI Invented “Hot Springs” — Tourists Arrived and Were Shocked
Tech Mega-Donors Power Trump-Aligned Fundraising Surge to $429 Million Ahead of 2026 Midterms
UK Pharma Watchdog Rules Sanofi Breached Industry Code With RSV Vaccine Claims Against Pfizer
Melania Documentary Opens Modestly in UK with Mixed Global Box Office Performance
Starmer Arrives in Shanghai to Promote British Trade and Investment
Harry Styles, Anthony Joshua and Premier League Stars Among UK’s Top Taxpayers
New Epstein Files Include Images of Former Prince Andrew Kneeling Over Unidentified Woman
Starmer Urges Former Prince Andrew to Testify Before US Congress About Epstein Ties
Starmer Extends Invitation to Japan’s Prime Minister After Strategic Tokyo Talks
Skupski and Harrison Clinch Australian Open Men’s Doubles Title in Melbourne
DOJ Unveils Millions of Epstein Files, Fueling Global Scrutiny of Elite Networks
France Begins Phasing Out Zoom and Microsoft Teams to Advance Digital Sovereignty
China Lifts Sanctions on British MPs and Peers After Starmer Xi Talks in Beijing
Trump Nominates Kevin Warsh as Fed Chair to Reorient U.S. Monetary Policy Toward Pro-Growth Interest Rates
AstraZeneca Announces £11bn China Investment After Scaling Back UK Expansion Plans
Starmer and Xi Forge Warming UK-China Ties in Beijing Amid Strategic Reset
Tech Market Shifts and AI Investment Surge Drive Global Innovation and Layoffs
Markets Jolt as AI Spending, US Policy Shifts, and Global Security Moves Drive New Volatility
U.S. Signals Potential Decertification of Canadian Aircraft as Bilateral Tensions Escalate
Former South Korean First Lady Kim Keon Hee Sentenced to 20 Months for Bribery
Tesla Ends Model S and X Production and Sends $2 Billion to xAI as 2025 Revenue Declines
China Executes 11 Members of the Ming Clan in Cross-Border Scam Case Linked to Myanmar’s Lawkai
Trump Administration Officials Held Talks With Group Advocating Alberta’s Independence
Starmer Signals UK Push for a More ‘Sophisticated’ Relationship With China in Talks With Xi
Shopping Chatbots Move From Advice to Checkout as Walmart Pushes Faster Than Amazon
Starmer Seeks Economic Gains From China Visit While Navigating US Diplomatic Sensitivities
Starmer Says China Visit Will Deliver Economic Benefits as He Prepares to Meet Xi Jinping
×