Russia is holding naval exercises to rehearse the maritime blockade of the Black Sea after the end of the grain agreement.

The Russian navy carried out naval exercises in the Black Sea in order to practice detaining and destroying vessels in areas restricted to navigation.

The exercises took place a few days after the Kremlin renounced the renewal of the Black Sea grain export agreement and declared that any vessel arriving in or leaving Ukrainian ports would be a potential military target.

Russia claims that this is a response to the attack on the Crimean bridge. The Russian authorities insist that the attack was carried out by Ukrainian maritime drones.

Ukraine said it would continue maritime exports despite Russian threats and demanded international patrolling of the Black Sea.

The end of the agreement on Ukrainian grain exports announced by Russia has provoked a wave of reactions in the international community.

The Turkish president, one of the mediators of the pact reached a year ago, refuses to throw in the towel. "Despite today's statement, I believe that the president of the Russian Federation, my friend Putin, wants this humanitarian bridge to continue," said Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The European Union's reaction was not long in coming, notably through the voice of the President of the European Council, Charles Michel. "This agreement, together with a European solidarity initiative, is helping to ensure that the most vulnerable countries have access to the cereals and fertilizers they need for their population, which is why we fully support all of António Guterres' efforts to ensure the continuity of this agreement."

The head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell, said that Russia's decision is unjustifiable and that it turns people's hunger into a weapon of war. (euronews)