LONDON, Sept. 11 (EFE).- The British government revealed on Monday that Russia fired several missiles at a civilian cargo ship in the Black Sea on August 24, projectiles that were successfully intercepted by Ukrainian forces.
Declassified UK intelligence indicates that the attack, in which two Caleb cruise missiles were fired, among other things, targeted a Liberian-flagged merchant vessel.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said in Parliament that this action “shows the desperation of (Russian President Vladimir) Putin,” stressing that the United Kingdom uses its “intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities to monitor Russia’s activity in the Black Sea.”
Sunak added that London would continue “to draw attention if we see new attacks being prepared on civilian shipping or infrastructure, and to attribute the attacks if they occur.”
“Thanks to the Ukrainian air defenses, the attack on the civilian ship failed. None of the Caleb missiles reached its target,” the foreign ministry said in a statement.
London asserts that Russia has “systematically” harassed civilian infrastructure and ports in Ukraine, and estimates that these attacks destroyed 280,000 tons of grain.
“This is clear evidence of Russia’s continued attempts to strangle Ukraine’s economy and President Putin’s disregard for civilian lives and the interests of countries in Africa, Asia and the Middle East,” the foreign ministry added. Evie
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