MOSCOW, July 1. /TASS/. Dangerous maneuvering by the Dutch frigate The Evertsen in the Black Sea was a deliberate provocation, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told a news briefing on Thursday.
"The conclusion that readily offers itself is the Dutch frigate's dangerous maneuvering was an intentional provocation," she said.
Zakharova stressed that contrary to claims by the Dutch side Russian planes performed flights in strict compliance with the international rules of using airspace.
"We will regard any attempts at interpreting this the way the Netherlands has just done as cheap fakes," Zakharova said.
"No explanations and, by the way, no proof of some aggression have been presented," Zakharova said. "The Evertsen incident occurred the next day after the incident with the British destroyer HMS Defender, so it is hard to resist the temptation to stress that the Dutch side acted in coordination with NATO and in close contact with the British partners".
The Evertsen incident
On Tuesday, the Dutch Defense Ministry said Russian fighter planes had allegedly created an unsafe situation in the Black Sea by flying too low over The Evertsen. The incident took place on June 24, when the Dutch ship was southeast of Crimea. The Netherlands argues that Russia's actions were a violation of the freedom of shipping, as well as of bilateral agreements, including the one on the prevention of maritime incidents.
The Russian Defense Ministry said the Dutch frigate was moving towards the Kerch Strait. Russian fighters and bombers were scrambled. The Russian Defense Ministry said that all flights were carried out in strict accordance of international rules of using airspace.