Free Republic

An Israeli merchant ship that embarked from the Port of Ashdod Monday became the first vessel to openly defy Russia’s blockade of the Black Sea since they pulled out of a deal with Ukraine allowing the country to export grain from its ports in mid-July, Ukrainian news outlet Militarnyi reported on Monday. Israeli vessel Ams1 seemingly ignored Russian threats and entered the Ukrainian branch of the Danube Monday afternoon, according to Ukrainian reports. It crossed the Black Sea on a direct route from Ashdod Port while the American aircraft P8 Poseidon provided aerial security, the reports added. Ams1 was followed...

This is a good summary of the now-ended "Grain Deal" whereby Ukraine was allowed to ship their grain to other countries, via the port at Odessa. In it, The Duran analysts go into the details of why the deal didn't work out, and the strategy that Russia employed so as to make sure that the West didn't get tempted to 'heat things up' with the deal now concluding. Video is about 30 minutes, but, as usual loaded with facts.