Black Sea Strike, College Football Shake-Up, and Pigeon Portraits

Russian Port Attacked 

A Russian warship in the Black Sea appeared to be damaged yesterday by Ukrainian sea drones, temporarily disrupting oil and grain exports near the Novorossiysk port, roughly 60 miles east of Crimea. The port is responsible for exporting about 2% of the world's oil supply. The attack marks the first time Ukraine struck a commercial Russian port since the two countries began fighting nearly 18 months ago. 

Tension in the Black Sea has increased in recent weeks, with Russia hitting numerous food export facilities in Ukraine after suspending its participation in the Black Sea Grain Initiative last month. Russia had warned Ukraine it would no longer guarantee the safe passage of vessels in the corridor. The Black Sea Grain Initiative previously enabled over 32 million tons of corn, wheat, and other grains to flow from the Black Sea to much of the globe in the last year. 

Separately, a Russian court sentenced opposition figure Alexei Navalny to 19 years in prison on extremism charges. Navalny was already serving a nine-year sentence for various charges, including fraud. 

Read about Ukraine's use of sea drones here. See more war updates here.

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