Why the Sea of Azov is the new flashpoint in the Russia-Ukraine war

Russia has accused Ukraine of terrorism over its escalating strikes on shipping vessels in the Sea of Azov. The Shipping route is important for Russia, as it handles a quarter of its grain export."What the Ukrainian regime is doing goes beyond even piracy. Pirates, at least, plunder and keep the spoils for themselves,” Russian ​foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said.“But here, it benefits neither them nor anyone else, the goal is simply to cause damage and intimidate. It is terrorism, pure and simple," Lavrov said.The Sea of Azov is a strategically important inland sea connected to the Black Sea through the Kerch Strait. Bordered by southern Russia and Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine, it serves as a vital route for Russia's grain exports, commercial shipping and military logistics. The sea also provides ocean access to key Russian port Rostov-on-Don.A Ukrainian military source told Reuters that Kyiv strikes only targets that contribute to Russia's combat capability.“Civilian cargoes are not among them. By talking about attacks ​on civilian vessels, Russia is looking for a pretext to justify its cynical strikes on Ukrainian civilian infrastructure."According to Reuters, Ukraine has intensified its maritime drone campaign in the Sea of Azov. Ukrainian drone forces commander Robert Brovdi said on Telegram that 11 Russian vessels were struck overnight, including five tankers, five dry cargo vessels and one tugboat. He claimed that the total number of vessels hit over the previous nine days had reached 116.Reuters reported that industry sources, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, said that several grain-carrying vessels were hit on July 13 and July 14 and caught fire.Russia is the world's largest wheat exporter, supplying roughly one-fifth of global wheat exports. Its grain is a vital source of food for dozens of countries across Africa, the Middle East and Asia, making uninterrupted Russian exports important for global food security.Russia will fully meet its grain export commitments to foreign partners ⁠despite the ​situation in the Sea of Azov, Russia’s union of grain exporters and producers said.Russia has ​begun harvesting new crops in southern regions but the new grain is only starting to arrive in ports."The main goal of the work is to minimise the impact of temporary logistical difficulties on the sale ​of the new harvest by farmers," said local authorities in Rostov, a leading grain-producing region.Ukraine's expanding maritime drone campaign is increasing pressure on one of Russia's most important logistics and export corridors, while Moscow is scrambling to ensure that disruptions do not affect its grain exports or wartime supply chains.Catch the latest world news and top headlines. Download the TOI App.