British PM accuses Russia of attacking civilian cargo on Ukraine's Independence Day
Rishi Sunak
British PM Rishi Sunak has accused Russian forces of targeting a civilian cargo ship in Ukraine's Black Sea port with "multiple missiles" on August 24.
Since Russia quit a UN-supported deal allowing Ukraine to safely export its grain via the Black Sea in July, Ukraine has accused Moscow of threatening civilian vessels, Reuters reports.
Thanks to declassified intelligence, we know the Russian military targeted a civilian cargo ship in the Black Sea with multiple missiles on the 24th of August, Sunak said in an update to parliament on the G20 summit he attended in New Delhi.
The British Foreign Office clarified that the Liberian-flagged vessel was targeted with two Kalibr cruise missiles launched by the Russians from a Black Sea Fleet missile carrier. Ukrainian air defense systems successfully shot them down.
Putin is trying to win a war he cannot, and these attacks show how desperate he is. By striking at cargo ships and Ukrainian infrastructure, Russia is harming the rest of the world, said British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly.
Back in mid-July, Russia announced its withdrawal from the grain deal. After that, the state began to actively attack Ukraine's port infrastructure, particularly, the southern Odesa region with its grain terminals.
Both the US and the UK had warned in July that Russia might expand its targeting of Ukrainian grain facilities to include attacks against civilian shipping in the Black Sea.
