WorldBattle in the Black Sea: Russia and Ukraine intensify attacks on shipping

Russia is stepping up attacks along Ukraine’s Black Sea coast in an effort to choke the country’s commercial connections with the outside world. Although Russian forces have attacked international vessels before, the strikes have not previously been this frequent or deadly. Ukraine’s port administration says civilian vessels came under Russian attack 57 times last month. Once-busy ports including Odesa, Chornomorsk and Pivdennyi are now almost empty of ships.