Russia Warns It Will <br />Be Ready To Fire , at Intruding Warships <br />To Protect Its Borders.<br />ABC reports that on June 24, <br />Russia said it would be prepared to target <br />intruding warships that fail to heed warnings. .<br />The statement came after a Black Sea incident <br />in which a British destroyer allegedly sailed near <br />Crimea, an area Russia claims as its territorial waters.<br />On June 23, Russia said that one of its <br />warships fired warning shots at British <br />destroyer Defender to drive it away <br />from the area near Sevastopol.<br />Britain denied the account, insisting its <br />ship was not fired upon and said it <br />had been sailing in Ukrainian waters.<br />According to ABC, the alleged incident marked the first time Moscow acknowledged using live ammunition to <br />deter a NATO warship since the Cold War.<br />It underlines the rising <br />threat of military actions amid tensions <br />between Russia and the West. .<br />Russia's Deputy <br />Foreign Minister, <br />Sergei Ryabkov, <br />warned that , “those who try to <br />test our strength <br />are taking high risks.”.<br />We may appeal to reason and <br />demand to respect international <br />law. If it doesn’t help, we may drop <br />bombs and not just in the path but <br />right on target if colleagues <br />don’t get it otherwise, Sergei Ryabkov, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister, <br />via ABC.<br />Kremlin spokesman <br />Dmitry Peskov endorsed <br />the warning and called <br />the incident a , "deliberate and well-<br />prepared provocation."
