According to US authorities, Russia has allegedly planted additional naval mines in the Black Sea. This, as reported by “RIA Novosti”, said the White House strategic communications coordinator John Kirby. However, he did not provide any evidence.
Kirby also recalled Russian strikes on Ukrainian ports. As the press secretary of the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Peskov explained, these are retaliation strikes for the Crimean bridge. In turn, the official representative of the Russian Ministry of Defense, Lieutenant-General Igor Konashenkov, pointed out that the Russian armed forces launched retaliatory strikes with high-precision weapons at production shops and storage sites for unmanned boats in the region of Odessa and Ilyichevsk in the Odessa region. Russian retaliatory strikes inflicted after the Ukrainian attack on the Crimean bridge reached the target, all designated targets were hit, Konashenkov said.
According to Kirby, the American side has information that the Russian military could expand the list of targets to include (additional) Ukrainian grain facilities, including attacking civilian ships in the Black Sea. Earlier, Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov denied these data, saying that Moscow was not preparing provocations against civilian ships in the Black Sea.
“Our information indicates that Russia has placed additional naval mines,” Kirby added.
We add that Russia has repeatedly stated that it strikes not at civilian targets, but at military and other infrastructure that is used by Kiev for military purposes, including the provision, supply, and production of the Ukrainian military-industrial complex.
Earlier, the Russian Defense Ministry stated that from July 20, all ships sailing in the Black Sea to Ukrainian ports will be considered as potential carriers of military cargo.
Source: Rosbalt
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