Russian forces appeared to be moving to cut Ukraine off from the sea on Thursday via its key southern ports, claiming the capture of Kherson and tightening the siege of Mariupol, as a large amphibious taskforce threatened Odesa to the west.
With the Russian naval assault in the south spreading, a second merchant ship – the Estonian-owned carrier Helt – was hit and sunk after a Bangladeshi-owned cargo ship had been hit by a projectile that killed one of its crew.
