DISINFO: Britain and Norway increase tensions in the Black Sea
SUMMARY
Britain and Norway are creating a coalition in the Black Sea to help Ukraine. This is a deliberate escalation of tension and a transfer of efforts from the northern Baltic direction, where Britain has just completed exercises, to the southern one. New minesweepers [transferred by Great Britain to Ukraine] will contribute to escalation, and provocations against Russia are possible.
RESPONSE
This an attempt to deflect attention away from Russia's unjustified and unprovoked full scale invasion of in Ukraine.
The creation of a new maritime initiative in support of Ukraine became known on December 11, 2023 when the United Kingdom and Norway announced their intention to help strengthen Ukraine's security along its coastline and at sea. Allied countries set themselves the goal of quickly helping Ukraine unblock maritime trade routes and ensure free passage of civilian ships in the Black Sea.
In particular, on December 11 it became known that the British Royal Navy transferred two minehunter ships to the Ukrainian Armed Forces to search for Russian mines. Norway also announced the transfer of two more ships to Ukraine for mine clearance in the water area.
“Ukraine’s economy continues to be impacted by Putin’s blockade in the Black Sea, which has significantly reduced the country’s ability to move vital exports by sea. Strengthening the AFU’s maritime capabilities, in particular countering the threat from Russian sea mines, will help restore Ukraine’s maritime exports,” the UK Ministry of Defense said.
The agreement on the transfer of two Royal Navy minehunter ships to the Ukrainian Navy was signed back in 2021, before the full-scale Russian invasion. In the summer of 2023, a flag-raising ceremony took place to put the minehunter ships into operation. The ships were named Chernihiv and Cherkasy in memory of the minehunter ships captured by Russia during the occupation of Crimea in 2014.
Russia began expanding the conflict zone in the Black and Azov Seas back in 2014, trying to limit Ukraine’s legal right to use its internal waters. The UN International Maritime Organization (IMO) has repeatedly called on Russia to stop its illegal activities in the Black and Azov Seas. Due to Russia’s systematic disregard for international law, the aggressor country was expelled from the IMO Council in December 2023.
The US, the EU and NATO condemn in the strongest possible terms Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which is entirely unjustified and unprovoked. However, NATO has repeatedly emphasised that the Alliance is not involved in the Russian war and does not intend to send its troops into the territory of Ukraine. NATO's actions are purely defensive in nature and are not aimed at provoking conflict, but at preventing it.