'Danger never went away': Ukrainian cities feel cornered by Russia

Cranes stand idle in Mariupol and Berdyansk as the fear of open warfare rises

Ukrainians in the industrial cities and resort villages along the coast of the Sea of Azov knew a showdown with Russia was coming. The only question was when.

Even before the clash on Sunday in which Russia’s coastguard seized three Ukrainian ships, Moscow had spent months strangling the sea trade into the vulnerable Ukrainian port cities between mainland Russia and Crimea.