General Popov Says Ukrainian Drones Targeting Novorossiysk Came from the Sea
Major General Vladimir Popov stated that Ukrainian drones threatening Novorossiysk were likely launched from ships in neutral waters, possibly with silent approval from other states.
Major General Vladimir Popov, a distinguished military pilot, outlined where Ukrainian drones that threatened Novorossiysk on September 21 may have been launched from.
According to Popov, the drones could only have been deployed from the sea. He suggested they might have been launched from a cargo vessel, a tourist ship, or a fishing trawler operating in neutral waters.
The general explained that Russia’s territorial waters extend 12 nautical miles-about 22 kilometers-from the coast. Beyond that lies the exclusive economic zone, where routes and passages are subject to agreements and permits. He stressed that such restrictions would hardly stop sabotage groups, which can disguise themselves aboard different types of civilian vessels. Popov said they could launch drones from one ship and then transfer to another, disappearing into the Bosporus or docking at a Turkish port.
He also noted that such operations might occur with the tacit approval of other countries, pointing out that Russia’s neighbors often turn a blind eye to incidents of this kind.