First. links to reports from the Associated Press, Agence France-Presse, National Public Radio, People’s Dispatch, Tass, and the Moscow Times; others are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. — MCM

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Russia targets key Ukraine Black Sea port of Odesa, a day after halting grain export deal, by Felipe Dana | AP  KYIV — Ukrainian forces shot down scores of exploding drones and six cruise missiles during a pre-dawn Russian attack on the port of Odesa on Tuesday, authorities in Kyiv said, a day after Moscow broke off a deal that had allowed Ukraine to ship vital grain supplies from the Black Sea city during the war. The . . . READ MORE . . .

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Russia says destroyed Odesa sites used to plan bridge attack. From AFP. Russia said today it had carried out a “retaliation strike” against sites in Ukraine’s Odesa port that it claimed were involved in planning an attack on Moscow’s bridge to Crimea. “At night . . . READ MORE . . .

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Russia halts participation in the Black Sea Grain Initiative. Reported by Sydney Lupkin and Charles Maynes | NPR  Russia announced Monday it is suspending participation in the Black Sea Grain Initiative, as a key bridge linking annexed Crimea to the Russian mainland was attacked again. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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With exports blocked, Russia drops Ukraine grain deal. From People’s Dispatch / Consortium News. On Monday, Russia announced its termination of the U.N.-brokered Black Sea grain deal with Ukraine, first signed in July last year, citing unfulfilled parts of the agreement. Last Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that Russia would suspend participation in the deal unless exports of its own products were unblocked. He . . . READ MORE . . .

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The implications of Russia suspending the Black Sea grain deal with Ukraine. Reported by Erika Ryan, Sarah Handel and Adrian Florido | NPR  U.S. ambassador to the U.N. Linda Thomas-Greenfield talks about Russia backing out of the Black Sea Grain Deal with Ukraine. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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European countries’ position on grain deal should be labeled ‘unconscionable’ — Kremlin. From Tass. MOSCOW — Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov has characterized the position of European countries on the Black Sea grain deal as “unconscionable.” Peskov was responding to comments by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who termed . . . READ MORE . . .

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Russia Resumes Partial Traffic on Crimea Bridge Following Attack. From the Moscow Times. Russian authorities have partially resumed road traffic across the Crimean bridge connecting the annexed Black Sea peninsula to mainland Russia that was damaged in a drone attack Monday. “As we reported to [President Vladimir Putin] today . . . READ MORE . . .

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Ukraine lost several armies during ongoing conflict — Russian mission to UN. From Tass. UNITED NATIONS — Ukraine has lost more than one army and almost all of its weapons ever since it refused to engage in negotiations, Russian First Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN Dmitry Polyansky said at a Security Council meeting Monday. “The Bucha provocation created . . . READ MORE . . .

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MAY BE CONTINUED