Was The UK Navy's Black Sea Antics Stupid?

Say the Russian navy (even more clapped-out and shrunken than ours) managed to find a ship in good enough condition to get to the South Atlantic. Say it then loaded aboard some Moscow journalists. And say the Russians decided they were actively backing Argentinian claims to the 'Malvinas'. HMS Defender is seen above being intercepted  

Peter Hitchens, Daily Mail: This won't be popular... but our Navy's Black Sea antics were stupid 

People often accuse me of being a 'Populist' because some of the things I say are popular. Well, today I am going to be an Unpopulist. I think the Royal Navy's antics in the Black Sea last week were little short of crazy. 

I struggle to find a parallel that would be as mad. You need several things: a place where the Navy involved has no good reason to be, thousands of miles from its normal habitat; a quarrel in which that Navy's country has no direct interest; a dispute over who owns a piece of land, in which those who live there take one view and a nearby country takes the other.  

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WNU Editor: I do not agree with Peter Hitchens labeling the Royal Navy's actions in the Black Sea stupid. There was an intelligence gathering purpose behind it. What was stupid was the UK government's media narrative after the incident. 

Denying what had happened even while the Russian MoD was releasing videos of the incident revealed the British government to be liars. What also did not help was their non-explanation on why a UK warship decided to enter disputed territorial waters and provoke an international incident thousands of kilometers away from any vital U.K. strategic interest.