Black Sea

Also, for the first time since the expiration of the grain deal, several foreign cargo ships arrived in the Izmail port via the Black Sea on Sunday, Ukrainian media reported.

Russia stepped away from an agreement that allowed Ukraine to export grain from its ports in mid-July.

Ukraine's border guard service said it had intercepted a warning communicated by a Russian warship to a civilian vessel near a Ukrainian port.

Russian media reported that the servicemember was offered Ukrainian citizenship and money by Ukraine's Security Service.

Russia had declared that any ships traveling to Ukraine's Black Sea ports would be seen as possibly carrying military cargoes.

This is the 43rd security assistance package approved by the United States for Ukraine. More than $43 billion in US military aid has been provided since Russia's invasion in 2022.

"We agree with the US assessment that this is a coordinated effort to justify and lay blame on Ukraine for any attacks against civilian ships in the Black Sea," Woodward told reporters.

Since Russia quit the deal and began attacking Ukrainian food-exporting ports on the Black Sea and Danube river, global wheat and corn futures have risen sharply.

"The crew of the Ivanovets missile boat carried out live firing of anti-ship cruise missiles at a target vessel..." the Defense Ministry said in a statement.

"All ships proceeding to Ukrainian ports in Black Sea waters will be considered as potential carriers of military cargo," the Russian Defense Ministry stated.