Need a thread on Russia too, like the China thread.

The Russians are trying to blockade the Black Sea

‘Unprovoked escalation’: US slams Russian plan to block Black Sea (msn.com)

The British have just dispatched a task force of frigates and a light cruiser to enter the Black Sea. They are over a week away from reaching the critical entry point at Istanbul. It's not clear what will happen if the Russians refuse to allow the British ships to enter.

Meanwhile, the Russians have now massed 120,000 troops on the border with Ukraine threatening an invasion.