Fears rise among Ukraine's Azov Sea communities over Russian naval exercises

Azov Sea and the Black Sea will be blocked to all shipping

While the world follows the movement of Russian troops in Belarus, Ukrainian authorities are equally — if not more — concerned about the possibility of military drills in the Azov Sea, a shallow body of water shared between Russia and Ukraine.

Qazet.az reports that, two neighbours already risk direct conflict every day, and Moscow's announcement of military drills in the region next week has added to the stand-off. 

The Kremlin has issued a warning saying parts of the , including commercial traffic, while its navy conducts exercises. That has sparked condemnation in Kyiv, where authorities said they would issue a response.