The Latest Breaking News from Black Sea

Russian forces abandoned the strategic Black Sea outpost of Snake Island on Thursday, in a major victory for Ukraine that could loosen a Russian grain export blockade threatening to worsen global hunger. Russia's defense ministry said it had decided to withdraw from the outcrop as a "gesture of goodwill" that…

Russian forces abandon the strategic Black Sea islet – a major victory for Ukraine that could also enable grain exports.

Odessa MP Alex Goncharenko - a key ally of President Volodymyr Zelensky - called for the Royal Navy to police a deal allowing grain exports from Black Sea ports

Odessa MP Alex Goncharenko, a key ally of Ukraine's President, called for a 'political deal' between the West, Turkey and Russia to get the grain out of his city - and for the Royal Navy to be allowed to police it

Snake Island, a tiny piece of land in the Black Sea near the Ukrainian port city of Odesa, has taken on symbolic importance for both sides in the conflict. Ukraine said last week that it had won a major military victory on the island, an account Moscow disputes.

Russia and Ukraine are vying to control vital grain routes, but who will win?

With Russia’s Black Sea fleet blocking Ukraine’s ports, grain is at risk of rotting in silos unless it can get to markets around the world.

Convoys of “grain trains” would transport wheat out of Ukraine under a huge rail operation being discussed to stop millions of people starving due to Vladimir Putin’s blockade of Black Sea ports.

A long blockade will worsen food shortages in the Middle East and North Africa, sparking a migration crisis.