hostile attention from russia, secret documents about its mission were lying in a soggy heap behind a bus stop in kent. the documents show that officials were keenly aware that sailing close to the coast of crimea, which russia annexed in 2014, could cause an incident. what do we understand about the possible welcome party, one of them asked? this map shows two possible routes. the one marked in green would challenge russia s claims of sovereignty. possible russian responses could range from safe and professional to neither safe nor professional. to sail further south could be interpreted by russia as a sign the uk was being scared and running away. hands to action stations. hms defender took the green route. russia s response was hostile. this wasn t the point of the exercise, but the documents show that this was hardly unexpected. all that is now in the past but
the limit of crimea s territorial waters. our correspondent is the only broadcaster on board hms defender and sent this report. hands to action stations. this is not a drill. come in, take your seat straightaway. we want composure in this ops room. a british warship in the black sea about to make a point to russia. so we re straight into the thick of it, we re going to action stations now, just to bring us up to a higher state of readiness. hms defender has just left the port of odessa, and as you can see just over there, we re already being shadowed by a russian warship. i have two suspect aircraft coming in. they re soon tracking russian military aircraft who are also tracking them. it is a slightly more increased threat, i d say, just because we re operating outside of our normal areas. and you re being watched by the russians. they can see us. we can see them. as we get close to crimea,
normal and was certainly more tense than normal. so there is all risk, but i think should also remember that both sides are pretty ready for this. defend with action stations, lots of planes and ships in the region and it was clearly a deliberate decision. defender could have taken a greater southerly route away from crimea, chose not to. to assert its right of freedom of navigation. i m told that the decision, by the way, taken by the highest level of the british government. this was not a casual decision made at all. defenderwas not a casual decision made at all. defender was there not to pick a fight but to make a point. the uk has tested russia s result, it has shown its support for ukraine, russia has mounted a robust defence of what it says is its sovereignty, to accuse the uk blatant provocation, some in the british ambassador. so, relations tonight already cold, poisoning, et cetera, has got a little bit colder but i think both sides will feel tonight that they have made the po
and fighterjets have fired warning shots and dropped bombs on the path of the british warship sailing in the black sea near crimea stopping the russia defence industry says hms defender had violated its territorial waters. hms defender had violated its territorialwaters. but hms defender had violated its territorial waters. but the department of defence flatly denied their claims. the mod says the navy destroyer was sailing and a internationally recognised shipping lane within the 12 mile limit of crimea s territorial waters. 0ur defence corresponded is the only broadcaster on board hms defender and he sent us this report. hands to action stations. this is not a drill. come in, take your seat straightaway. we want composure in this ops room. a british warship in the black sea about to make a point to russia. so we re straight into the thick of it, we re going to action stations now,
denied their claims, saying the russians were carrying out exercises when they fired. the mod says the royal navy destroyer was sailing in an internationally recognised shipping lane, within the 12 mile limit of crimea s territorial waters. 0ur defence correspondent jonathan beale is the only broadcaster onboard hms defender. he sent this report. hands to action stations. this is not a drill. come in, take your seat straightaway. we want composure in this ops room. a british warship in the black sea about to make a point to russia. so we re straight into the thick of it, we re going to action stations now, just to bring us up to a higher state of readiness. hms defender has just left the port of odessa, and as you can see just over there, we re already being shadowed by a russian warship. i have two suspect aircraft coming in. they re soon tracking russian military aircraft