Russia warned that from Thursday any ships traveling to Ukraine's Black Sea ports will be seen as possibly carrying military cargoes, after Ukraine said it was setting up a temporary shipping route to try and continue its grain exports.
The moves by both countries on Wednesday came just days after Russia quit a deal — brokered by the United Nations and Turkey — that allowed the safe Black Sea export of Ukraine grain for the past year, and revoked guarantees of safe navigation.
Ukraine has made clear that it wants to try and continue its Black Sea grain shipments and told the U.N. shipping agency, the International Maritime Organization, that it had "decided to establish on a temporary basis a recommended maritime route."