The Russian Black Sea Fleet is positioning itself for a blockade of Ukrainian ports after Moscow halted an international grain agreement, according to British defence analysts in London.
The modern Russian corvette Sergei Kotov is already patrolling the route between the Bosphorus and the Ukrainian port city of Odessa, Britain's Ministry of Defence said on Wednesday in its daily intelligence report on the war in Ukraine.
The British report stated, "There is a realistic possibility that it will form part of a task group to intercept commercial vessels Russia believes are heading to Ukraine."
Russia allowed an international grain agreement to expire last week despite sharp international criticism.
The agreement was struck to help secure supply for countries that rely on grain from the war-torn region. Under the terms of the deal, Ukrainian grain was exported via the Black Sea and Türkiye's Bosphorus Strait. It is now feared that famines in poorer countries will become even greater.
The end of the grain agreement also now increases the potential for the intensity and scale of armed conflict in the Black Sea area, according to the British report.
Britain's Foreign Secretary James Cleverly warned on Tuesday that "The UK believes that Russia may escalate its campaign to destroy Ukraine's food exports by targeting civilian ships in the Black Sea."
The British Ministry of Defence has been publishing daily information on the course of the war since the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine began in February 2022. Moscow accuses London of disinformation.
The war that has been raging in Ukraine since February 2022 made it almost impossible to export grain from the region via the Black Sea until the deal brokered by the United Nations and Türkiye in July last year made it safe to do so.
Britain's Ministry of Defence has been issuing daily intelligence updates since the start of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Moscow accuses London of conducting a disinformation campaign.
