Moscow conducts naval drills in black sea, amid escalating tensions with Ukraine

Russia’s navy conducted live fire exercises in the northwest Black Sea, as confirmed by Moscow’s Defense Ministry on Friday. This move comes just days after the Kremlin’s announcement that ships traveling to Ukrainian ports through the Black Sea could be considered potential military targets.

According to a statement released on the Telegram messaging app, the Black Sea Fleet engaged in live firing of anti-ship cruise missiles at a target ship within the combat training range in the northwestern part of the Black Sea. The Defense Ministry stated that the target ship was successfully destroyed by the missile strike.

Simultaneously, as part of the joint exercise, ships and fleet aviation took measures to temporarily close off a specific area for navigation and also executed actions to detain an offending ship.

Amidst the tensions, Russia declared on Wednesday that cargo ships heading to Ukrainian ports via the Black Sea might be carrying military cargo. This declaration came after Russia withdrew from a grain exports deal with Ukraine, further straining the relationship between the two countries.

Additionally, Moscow has designated certain areas in the “northwestern and southeastern parts of the international waters of the Black Sea” as “temporarily dangerous for passage,” underscoring their intentions to assert control over shipping routes in the region.

Despite Russia’s withdrawal from the grain deal, Kyiv remains steadfast in its determination to continue grain exports through its southern ports. The situation continues to be closely monitored by the international community as tensions persist in the Black Sea region.