Of naval forces of Ukraine engaged in provocations in the Black sea and threaten the security of economic activities of Russia. This was stated in interview to “Rossiyskaya Gazeta”, the Deputy head of the FSB border service of Russia Admiral Gennady Medvedev.
“It requires serious attention and that there are still real threats to the safety of Maritime economic activities in the Black sea. So, last year on March 31, one of the ships of naval forces of Ukraine made a provocative action, opened fire with automatic weapons on a Jack-up drilling rig “Tavrida” located in the Black sea”, — he said.
The incident, according to Medvedev, was resolved through the involvement of intelligence agencies and the black sea fleet. The Ukrainian Navy frigate “Hetman Sahaidachny” and the diving ship “Pochaiv”, on Board of which was conducted bombardment, was expelled from the area, which houses the drilling rig “Chernomorneftegaz”.
In 2015, the Crimean authorities reported about provocations in Ukraine against Russian “Chernomorneftegaz”. Then the ships of frontier service and the Ukrainian Navy tried to intervene in the operation of drilling rigs of the company, then for their protection was sent to the Russian patrol boat.
In December 2015, the press service of “Chernomorneftegaz” stated that in connection with the “difficult international situation” the operation was carried out for relocation of two rigs from the Odessa gas field (located in the North-Western shelf of the Black sea, 150 kilometers from the coast) in the Russian territorial waters.
“Chernomorneftegaz” to the annexation of Crimea to Russia in March 2014 was part of the “Naftogaz of Ukraine” and was part of the fuel and energy complex of Ukraine. Subsequently, the company was nationalized by the Crimean authorities. The company operates hydrocarbon deposits on the shelf of the Black and Azov seas and on the land part of the Crimean Peninsula. Authorities in Kiev believe that Russia illegally produces natural gas offshore, which is the economic zone of Ukraine.