Oil and gas platforms on the Black Sea have grown in tactical significance in recent months, the UK's Ministry of Defence has claimed.
It claims that platforms on the sea have been used regularly as forward deployment bases, helicopter landing sites, and positions from which to launch long-range missiles from.
"As tensions remain high in the Black Sea, skirmishes have taken place between maritime and air forces around strategically important gas and oil platforms between Crimea and Odesa," it said in its daily update.
"The platforms command valuable hydrocarbon resources," as well as offering other military uses outlined above - with the MoD comparing it to Snake Island to the west.
"Since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, Ukraine has struck several Russian-controlled platforms. Both Russia and Ukraine have also periodically occupied them with troops," it adds.
