U.K. warns of new Russian sea mine threat to merchant ships

U.K. says newest Russian threat to merchant ships is sea mines [Romanian Navy photograph]

The U.K. Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) says that intelligence released October 4 suggests Russia may use sea mines to target civilian shipping in the Black Sea and that Russia would lay blame on Ukraine for any attacks. The information declassified shows Russia may continue to target civilian shipping in the Black Sea, including by laying sea mines in the approach to Ukrainian ports.

The U.K. previously warned that the Russian military had attempted a missile strike against a cargo ship in the Black Sea on August 24 The U.K. said then that intelligence showed that the Russian military targeted a Liberian-flagged cargo ship berthed in port with multiple missiles, which included two Kalibr missiles fired from a Black Sea Fleet missile carrier. Thanks to Ukraine’s air defense, the attack on the civilian ship failed. Not one of the Kalibr missiles reached its intended target.

In its most recent statement, the FCDO says the U.K. assesses that Russia is seeking to target civilian shipping traveling through Ukraine’s “humanitarian corridor” in order to deter the export of Ukrainian grain. This would continue Russia’s attempts to pressure the Ukrainian economy. Russia almost certainly wants to avoid openly sinking civilian ships, instead falsely laying blame on Ukraine for any attacks against civilian vessels in the Black Sea.

By releasing its assessment of this intelligence, the U.K. says that it seeks to expose Russia’s tactics in order to deter any such incident from occurring.

“We are working with Ukraine and other partners to put in place arrangements to improve the safety of shipping,” says the FCDO. “Our advice to British shipping has not changed – the U.K.’s maritime security level for Ukrainian ports and waters remains at the highest level due to the threat posed by Russia.

“The U.K. has put in place intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities to monitor Russian activity in the Black Sea. These capabilities will help us to attribute and call out any further Russian attacks on civilian shipping or infrastructure.

“We are committed to ensuring Ukraine can continue to export its agricultural produce through all appropriate routes including its ‘humanitarian corridor’, overland and via the Danube.”

“Russia’s pernicious targeting of civilian shipping in the Black Sea demonstrates Putin’s total disregard for civilian lives and the needs of the world’s most vulnerable,” said U.K. Foreign Secretary James Cleverly. “The world is watching – and we see right through Russia’s cynical attempts to lay blame on Ukraine for their attacks. We and our allies stand united against Putin and his attempts to harm Ukraine and thus harm the rest of the world.”