Moscow claimed that warning shots were fired by Russian vessels at HMS Defender as it passed through the contested part of the Black Sea on Wednesday – an assertion dismissed by the UK Government, which said only that a routine “gunnery exercise” took place. Cabinet minister George Eustice said Moscow may have been trying to make a point, but stressed that the Royal Navy would be prepared to send another vessel through the waters, restating the UK’s position that Crimea is Ukrainian territory. Dramatic eyewitness accounts revealed the Type 45 destroyer was buzzed by Russian military jets and the sound of naval gunfire could be heard as it sailed from Odessa in Ukraine to Georgia on Wednesday.

Russia also claimed that four bombs were dropped in the path of the destroyer – something the Ministry of Defence said it did not recognise.

Russia’s deputy foreign minister, Sergei Ryabkov, said “the inviolability of the Russian borders is an absolute imperative”, adding that it will be protected “by all means, diplomatic, political and military if needed”.

Asked what Russia would do if a similar incident happened again, he said: “We may appeal to reason and demand to respect international law.

“If it doesn’t help, we may drop bombs and not just in the path but right on target if colleagues don’t get it otherwise.”

READ MORE: Russia warned Royal Navy destroyers will IGNORE military threat

Mr Eustice told Sky News: “Under international law, you can take the closest, fastest route from one point to another.

“HMS Defender was passing through Ukrainian waters, I think on the way to Georgia, and that was the logical route for it to take.

“This is a very normal thing, it’s quite common actually. What was actually going on is the Russians were doing a gunnery exercise, they had given prior notice of that, they often do in that area.

“So, I think it’s important people don’t get carried away.”

The move has put a further strain on already difficult diplomatic relations between London and Moscow.

British ambassador Deborah Bronnert was summoned to the ministry of foreign affairs in Moscow after Russia accused the Type 45 destroyer of straying into its territorial waters.

Former Royal Navy chief Admiral Lord West accused Russian president Vladimir Putin of “playing to the home audience”.

The former first sea lord told LBC: “The bottom line is Putin is an expert at disinformation and his actions are very reckless, and we’ve seen that now for three or four years.”

He said Mr Putin’s behaviour is “appalling” and “there’s no doubt the Defender was asserting her right of innocent passage from one port to another”.