British intelligence: Russia plans to intercept merchant ships travelling to Ukraine

This was reported by the UK Ministry of Defence on Twitter.

The British ministry believes that the Russian Black Sea Fleet is preparing for a naval blockade of Ukraine after Russia's withdrawal from the grain deal.

The modern corvette Sergei Kotov is stationed in the southern part of the Black Sea, patrolling the shipping lane between the Bosphorus and Odessa. It is quite realistic that it could be part of a task force to intercept commercial vessels that Russia believes are heading to Ukraine," the report said.

After the withdrawal from the "grain deal", Russia has been increasingly attacking southern Ukraine. In particular, there are missile strikes on Odessa and the region. Also in the UK Ministry of Defence notes that the Black Sea grain initiative reduced the involvement of the Black Sea in the war. There is now a strong likelihood of an increase in the intensity and scale of violence in the area.

Natalia Humenyuk, a spokeswoman for the Defence Forces of southern Ukraine, suggested that the occupiers in the Black Sea could resort to provocation under the guise of simulating an "attack" by drones - underwater or surface, or even an armed missile attack. After that, the enemy will accuse Ukraine of what it has done.

Most likely, it is about the fact that they can launch any vessel under the guise of another flag, not Russian. That is, imitation of a foreign vessel, from which an attack can take place.... Putting the blame on Ukraine is a classic practice of the occupiers," Humenyuk said.

As Humenyuk added, this is exactly what Russian troops do in the temporarily occupied territories and now actually in the temporarily occupied part of the Black Sea.