Russia will defend its territorial integrity by both political-diplomatic and military means, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told reporters on Thursday, commenting on the incident with the British destroyer HMS Defender in the Black Sea.
"What can we do? We can appeal to common sense, demand respect for international law. If that doesn't work, we can bomb not only on course but also on target, if our colleagues and don't understand. I warn everyone who, under the slogan of freedom of navigation, is engaged in violation of the state borders of the Russian Federation, against such provocative steps, because the security of our country is above all," he said.
"The territorial integrity of the Russian Federation is inviolable. The inviolability of its borders is an absolute imperative, and we will stand guard over all of this both diplomatically and politically and, if necessary, by military means," Ryabkov said.
He noted that behavior brinkmanship leads to dire consequences.
"We are outraged by their [British] behavior and note that brinkmanship is fraught with the gravest consequences for those who plan and then try to carry them out," he said.
Ryabkov pointed out that the anecdotal nature of the situation when a destroyer called the Defender violates the border should not set one up for lightheartedness. "This is a very serious moment, we condemn the actions of the British side," the Russian deputy foreign minister added.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Federation Council
Based on materials from TASS