Russia mined approaches to Ukrainian ports, - USA in OSCE
Russia has placed additional sea mines on the approaches to Ukrainian ports in order to blow up civilian vessels and later blame Ukraine for this.
As reported by Censor.NET, Ukrinform reports this.
This was stated by the US chargé d'affaires at the OSCE Catherine Brooker during a special meeting of the Permanent Council of the OSCE on Tuesday, dedicated to Russian missile terror against Ukraine.
"Last week, the United States shared information with the international community warning that Russia intends to expand attacks on Ukrainian grain facilities. Russia has done just that. We believe that Russia may launch attacks on civilian shipping in the Black Sea. According to our information, Russia has placed additional sea mines on the approaches to Ukrainian ports," Brooker said.
The American side believes that this is a "coordinated effort by Russia to justify any attacks on civilian vessels in the Black Sea, and then blame Ukraine for them."
"While condemning Russia for its bombing of Ukrainian port cities and export infrastructure, we must remain vigilant about how Russia is trying to escalate the conflict and continue to blame others for its unscrupulous actions," Brooker said.
In her speech, the US representative condemned Russia's attacks on Ukrainian ports and grain export infrastructure, which it is carrying out after withdrawing from the Black Sea Grain Initiative, which is important for world food security.
Brooker also condemned the rocket attack on the center of Odesa and the damage to at least 29 historical monuments, including the Savior and Transfiguration Cathedral of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, "which is canonically subordinate to the Moscow Patriarchate - the same church that Russia supposedly protects."
