Russia readies for “naval blockade”
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Fears mount that Russian live-fire naval exercises in the Black Sea could amount to a de facto blockade of Ukraine’s southern coast, which in turn might be part of preparations for an invasion
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PYOTR MORGUNOV
Ivan Gren class 
Displacement: 6,600 tonnes

Six Russian amphibious landing ships – with combined capacity of up to 63 main battle tanks and 2,000 troops – as well as one Kilo class submarine, have moved to Black Sea from Mediterranean to take part in drills

RUSSIA
UKRAINE
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Areas of drills
Feb 13-19


Donbas: Controlled by pro-Russian separatists

Dnieper River

Transnistria
MOLDOVA
ROMANIA 
BULGARIA
BLACK SEA
UKRAINE 
Mykolaiv
Mariupol 
Berdyansk
DONBAS
Rostov
RUSSIA
Sea of Azov
Kerch Strait Bridge 
100km
60 miles
GEORGIA
Odessa
CRIMEA
Crimea: Annexed by Russia in 2014
Simferopol
Sevastopol: HQ of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet
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Sources: The Drive, Naval News
Picture: Russian Ministry of Defence
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