Russia has closed for three more sections of the Black Sea near Crimea for six months of ‘training exercises

’, Ria Novosti has reported from Moscow, citing Russia’s Defense Ministry. Ten days ago, Russia closed the southern approaches to the Kerch Strait to foreign navies and foreign governments through the end of October. This same prohibition has been extended to waters off the coast of Russia’s Opuk training ground, a 100 km stretch between Hurzuf and Sevastopol, and Crimea’s westernmost tip, facing the southern Kherson region. Responding to protests that this will hamper commercial shipping to Ukraine’s Sea of Azov ports, Russia’s Defense Ministry said the closure will not “interfere with shipping through the Kerch Strait.”