Russia is contemplating attacking civilian ships on the Black Sea after which placing the blame on Ukrainian forces, a senior White House official mentioned Wednesday.
“The Russian military may expand their targeting of Ukrainian grain facilities to include attacks against civilian shipping,” National Security Council spokesman Adam Hodge informed AFP.
He mentioned the allegation was primarily based on newly declassified intelligence.
It got here within the wake of a missile and drone assault by Russia in opposition to the port metropolis of Odesa, in addition to the Kremlin’s resolution to drag out of a world deal permitting secure passage of huge Ukrainian grain exports throughout the Black Sea to world markets.
Moscow mentioned its missiles focused navy aims in Odesa however Hodge backed Ukrainian accusations that the assault destroyed “agricultural infrastructure and 60,000 tons of grain” mendacity prepared for export.
According to the White House official, these sorts of assaults might now increase to civilian ships. And Russia is mounting an operation to make such assaults appear to be they have been carried out by Ukraine, he mentioned.
Hodge cited Russia’s launch of a video exhibiting its forces detecting and destroying an “alleged Ukrainian sea mine” on Wednesday.
At the identical time, “our information indicates that Russia laid additional sea mines in the approaches to Ukrainian ports. We believe that this is a coordinated effort to justify any attacks against civilian ships in the Black Sea and lay blame on Ukraine for these attacks.”
The Russian protection ministry mentioned all vessels crusing to Ukrainian ports on the Black Sea any longer can be thought to be potential carriers of navy cargo and its flag states “will be considered to be involved in the Ukrainian conflict on the side of the Kyiv regime.” —Agence France-Presse
Source: www.gmanetwork.com
