MOSCOW (AP) — A senior Russian diplomat is warning that Russia will be ready to fire at intruding warships to protect its borders. The tough statement from the deputy foreign minister came Thursday in the wake of a Black Sea incident in which a British destroyer sailed near Crimea in an area that Russia claims as its territorial waters. Russia said one of its warships fired warning shots and a warplane dropped bombs Wednesday in the path of British destroyer Defender to drive it away from the area near Sevastopol. Britain denied that account and insisted its ship wasn’t fired upon. The incident marked the first time since the Cold War that Moscow acknowledged using live ammunition to deter a NATO warship.
Russia says next time it may fire to hit intruding warships
