A Russian warship on Sunday fired warning shots at a Palau-flagged cargo ship in the southwestern Black Sea, the first time Russia has fired on a merchant ship beyond Ukraine since exiting a landmark United Nations-brokered grain deal last month.

According to Russia’s Defense Ministry, the Sukru Okan was heading northwards to the Ukrainian Danube River port of Izmail.“The captain of the dry-cargo ship did not respond to the request to stop for inspection for the carriage of prohibited goods.

To force the ship to stop, warning fire was opened from automatic small arms from a Russian warship,” Russia’s Ministry of Defense wrote on Telegram, adding that the ship later stopped and allowed an inspection team to board.

Four weeks ago, Moscow withdrew from a key export agreement that allowed Ukraine to ship millions of tonnes of grain across the Black Sea for sale on world markets.

In the wake of that withdrawal, Russia carried out repeated strikes on Ukrainian ports, including Odesa, and declared wide areas of the Black Sea unsafe for shipping.