Russia's navy conducted a live fire exercise in the northwest Black Sea, as announced by Moscow's Defense Ministry. This exercise comes shortly after the Kremlin's statement, indicating its consideration of ships traveling to Ukraine via the Black Sea as potential military targets.

During the training, the Black Sea Fleet engaged in the live firing of anti-ship cruise missiles at a target ship within the designated combat training range, successfully destroying the target.

Additionally, the exercise involved practicing the temporary closure of navigation areas and measures to detain any offending ships.

It is worth noting that the Kremlin has recently cautioned that attempting to move grain from Ukrainian Black Sea ports without Russian security assurances would be dangerous, accusing Kiev of exploiting the seas for military purposes.

The agreements underlying the contentious Black Sea Grain Deal have been "terminated", according to the Kremlin on July 17. Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the country will return to the agreement as soon as all parties involved take the previously agreed-upon procedures.

Peskov stated at a press conference, the day the pact expired, that the "Black Sea agreements effectively ceased to be in effect today."

According to Peskov, "The Russian Federation will return to the deal as soon as the Russian prerequisites are met..."The Grain Deal has come to a halt," he said, emphasizing that the other signatories had yet to honor some of the agreement's stipulations regarding Russia.

Moreover, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova stated that Moscow has officially notified Turkey, Ukraine, and the UN that it will not renew the agreement.

In a briefing, Peskov told reporters, "We're talking about an area that's close to a war zone... Without the appropriate security guarantees, certain risks arise there. So if something is formalized without Russia, these risks should be taken into account."

According to him, the waters are obviously used by Ukraine for military purposes.

Peskov also denied US claims of "weaponizing food", detailing that Russia has many times extended the deal and fulfilled its obligations even when security guarantees were not implemented.

With African countries being the most in need, Russia has vowed to continue granting them grain at no cost. Peskoc stated that Moscow was in contact with its African allies and that the issue will be discussed during a Russia-Africa conference next week in St Petersburg.

The Black Sea holds significant geopolitical importance for Russia, being a region of historical, economic, and strategic interest. As a littoral state, Russia's access to the Black Sea enables it to project power and influence in the broader Black Sea region, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East.

The Black Sea serves as a crucial maritime route for trade and transportation, making it a critical economic corridor for the country. Additionally, the Black Sea is reportedly home to Russia's Black Sea Fleet, stationed in Sevastopol, Crimea, which provides Russia with a vital naval presence and enhances its ability to safeguard its interests in the region. 

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