German minister says the shared water body Kerch Strait now free

It is widely acknowledged that ships can pass through the Kerch Strait - a body of water shared between Russia and Ukraine - is now free, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said on Friday. "The Kerch Strait is currently free - that's what everyone involved says," Maas said during a visit to Moscow. Ukraine imposed martial law in November, citing the threat of a full-scale invasion after Russia captured three of its vessels in the Kerch Strait.