Russian Su-30 fighters and Su-24 bombers flew at a safe distance near the Dutch Navy ship Evertsen, after which the frigate changed course from the Russian border in the Black Sea. This was announced on Tuesday, June 29, by the Russian Defense Ministry.
On June 24, it was established that the frigate Evertsen of the Dutch Navy, which was in neutral waters, changed its course and began moving in the direction of the Kerch Strait, the department said.
To prevent violations of the border of the territorial waters of the Russian Federation, Su-30 fighters and Su-24 bombers were lifted into the air, which flew at a safe distance near a Dutch Navy ship. After the flights of Russian aircraft, the Evertsen frigate changed course from the border of the Russian Federation and continued following the same route, the Defense Ministry noted.
The flights of Russian aircraft were carried out in accordance with international rules for the use of airspace, the ministry stressed.
Earlier in the day, the acting Minister of Defense of the Netherlands, Ank Beileveld-Schouten, said that the country's authorities intend to discuss with Russia the incident in the Black Sea, during which, according to the Dutch side, Russian fighters created "unsafe situations" for the Evertsen frigate.
The incident occurred on June 24, when a Dutch Navy warship was located southeast of the Crimea. According to the Dutch side, Russian planes armed with bombs and so-called air-to-surface missiles flew dangerously close to the frigate, simulating attacks.
The Dutch frigate Evertsen is patrolling the Black Sea with the British destroyer HMS Defender. On June 23, the Black Sea Fleet of the Navy, together with the border service of the FSB of Russia, stopped the violation of the Russian state border by Defender. The ship crossed the state border of the Russian Federation and entered the territorial sea near Cape Fiolent for 3 km.
The Russian Defense Ministry regarded the incident as a gross violation of the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and called on the British side to conduct a thorough investigation of the actions of the Defender crew.
The British Defense Ministry said that the destroyer made a peaceful passage through the allegedly territorial waters of Ukraine in accordance with international law.
