Russian Navy Warship Engages in High-Stakes Hunt for Grain Ships Amidst Ukrainian Drone Boat Threat

The Russian navy has positioned one of its warships, the corvette Sergey Kotov, in the southern Black Sea to intercept commercial vessels heading to Ukraine after Russia unilaterally withdrew from the Black Sea Grain Initiative. With the collapse of the initiative, commercial shippers are reluctant to risk their ships on the route to Odesa. Ukrainian drone boats have already approached Sergey Kotov, highlighting the growing problem of unmanned surface vehicles for the Russian fleet. While Sergey Kotov may not survive her mission, her presence is enough to potentially enforce a blockade of Ukraine's grain ports.