The UK Ministry of Defense announced on Sunday that Ukraine and Russia have been involved in sea and air clashes in recent weeks over control of strategically valuable oil and natural gas platforms in the Black Sea.
“Last week, a Russian warplane fired on a small Ukrainian military ship operating near a platform in the North-West Sea,” the ministry said in a statement posted on the X social network (formerly known as Twitter).
The conflicts, according to London, took place on platforms located between Crimea and Odessa, which contain “valuable resources” of hydrocarbons, but which can also be used as military bases for the positioning of helicopters and long-range missile systems.
“The platforms are operated by the Chernomorneftegaz company, which was seized by pro-Russian authorities in Crimea during the 2014 annexation. Since the invasion, Ukraine has attacked several Russian-controlled platforms. Both Russia and Ukraine have periodically occupied them with troops,” detailed.
In the early stages of the war, Moscow occupied with its troops the island of Serpents, located in the Black Sea, very close to the border with Romania, although at the end of June Kiev announced the withdrawal of Russian forces.
Source: TSF
