Russian Warship Fires Warning Shots at Cargo Ship in Black Sea, Escalating Ukraine-Russia Tensions

A Russian warship fired warning shots at a Palau-flagged cargo ship in the Black Sea as it was heading towards Ukraine. Russia claims that the vessel did not respond to a request to halt for inspection. The incident comes after Russia scuppered a UN-brokered grain deal that allowed Ukraine to transport agricultural produce via the Black Sea. Ukraine and the West view Russia's actions as a de-facto blockade of Ukrainian ports, threatening the flow of wheat and sunflower seeds to global markets.