MOSCOW, February 24. /TASS/. The UK is staging military provocations in the Black Sea, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on RBC television.

"Half a year ago Washington stated it was going to place upward of 10,000 refugees from Afghanistan on the territory of former Soviet republics," she said. "Can you imagine what that would have looked like?"

"Central Asia, 10,000 to 12,000 unidentified people from Afghanistan who could be extremists, militants, Al-Qaeda (banned in Russia) and even representatives of the IS (Islamic State, banned in Russia)," Zakharova continued. "And on the other hand, flooding Ukraine with weapons."

"On the other hand, a similar thing is taking place in the Black Sea where Britons stage military provocations," she said.

The Russian Defense Ministry on June 23, 2021, said a UK warship crossed into Russia’s territorial waters off Crimea. Russian troops and border guards opened warning fire at a point ahead of the HMS Defender’s course after which she left Russia’s waters. The Russian Defense Ministry said the crew of the UK warship grossly violated the UN convention on maritime law.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on June 30, 2021, said the situation with the warship was part of a broader provocation that was conducted by the UK in conjunction with the US. The Russian leader said the Defender pursued intelligence gathering goals when she entered Russian waters.