OREANDA-NEWS In the UK, unknown persons stole diesel fuel intended for the generators of the warship HMS Bulwark, The Sun reports, citing sources. According to the publication, the amount of damage exceeded £250,000 (about $327,000).

The incident occurred at the Devonport base, located in the city of Plymouth in the southwestern part of England. The theft was discovered when the base's civilian guards selectively checked one of the fuel trucks that was leaving Devonport. The fuel was intended for refueling the generators of a military amphibious ship of the British Navy with a displacement of 19.5 thousand tons.

«Bulwark is an amphibious warship that is a vital part of the UK's defense. <...> The fact that it has remained so vulnerable and unprotected is just a mockery», the source told the media. According to the publication, the attackers sold most of the stolen fuel on the black market in conditions of record-high gasoline prices in Britain.

Luke Pollard, a member of parliament, said that stealing fuel from a Royal Navy warship is not only criminal, it takes resources away from the British armed forces during a national crisis. According to him, this incident raises serious questions about the security of one of the most protected naval bases in the UK.