If that Royal Navy Ship came under Russian attack whilst transiting through dejure Ukrainian sovereign seas, then Russia had broken international law and will have committed an illegal act of war against the UK.
You can’t legally invade a country and claim those waters and expect other countries to legitimise those illegitimate gains.
Let’s say for instance a Greek Naval Ship transited within 12 nms of the occupied territories of Cyprus. If Turkey attacked that ship, it would be an illegal act of war against Greece as those waters do not belong to Turkey of the “trnc”. They belong to the the RoC.
Amazing how we have some Cypriots who would rightly claim that wrt Cyprus and yet support exactly the same illegalities wrt to South China Sea and Crimea.
Idiotic!
Right now, there is a task force that conducts freedom of navigation through waters that are illegally claimed by Chy-na. If they attack these ships or aircraft it is an illegal act of war.
In all resolutions of the UN, the actions of Russia in Crimea, Chy-na in South Chy-na Sea and Turkey in Cyprus, are condemnable under international law.
If Russia attacks this Royal Navy Warship (and it won’t), then that action is equally condemnable under international law, but what is worst is that Russia would have committed an act of war against a NATO member. NATO can invoke article 5. Then where to from there? Well the chances of war would be real for a start. Pootin is many things but I don’t believe the man is stupid. Quite the opposite in fact. He is a very clever leader.
Pootin also knows his actions are illegal. Might never admit it, but they are a signatory to the LOS.
China, not being a signatory also knows it’s actions are illegal.
Hence why neither are game enough to attack our ships or aircraft.
