Russia Declares Its Black Sea Waters Unsafe for Navigation

Russia has declared parts of its Black Sea waters unsafe for navigation, warning all vessels operating in its exclusive economic zone of potential danger from Ukrainian drones and unmanned maritime systems. The alert, issued by Russia’s Defense Ministry in a weekly bulletin, follows a spike in attacks on Russia-linked shipping in the Black and Azov seas. Ukraine’s General Staff said at least 124 such vessels were hit between July 8 and July 20, including 89 tankers. Russian ports, including Novorossiysk, sit within the affected area.