On Wednesday afternoon, reports emerged of Russia firing "warning" shots at a British ship HMS Defender for having 'violated' its territorial waters in the Black Sea. Britain, however, denied any such report of a firing — a response known to be quite rare from Russia.
But where exactly is the Black Sea?
The Black Sea is located between Europe and Asia, flanked by Turkey in the south, Russian-annexed Crimea in the north, Georgia and Russia in the east and Romania and Bulgaria in the west.
One of the smaller seas in the world, the near-oval-shaped Black Sea is, however, linked to the Atlantic Ocean through the Bosporus Strait — that divides Istanbul (and Turkey) into the European and Asian side — and the Mediterranean Sea.
A number of Russian navy fleets traverse the Black Sea waters, while many US Navy ships have previously been harboured in what scientists describe as a unique sea.
Why is it called the Black Sea?
Although initially known as the 'inhospitable sea', the moniker does remain true, not because of the storms or pollution, but because of it's lower salinity and dissolved oxygen, which prevents the existence of marine life.
The water body's name is mostly believed to be derived for two reasons. First, the black sludge released from metal objects (ships, planes) at the sea bed, and secondly, many sailors noticed that the water would often turn black during violent storms prevalent during winter.
While there are many other theories behind the Black Sea's etymology, the abovementioned are the widely accepted ones.