Ukraine opens Black Sea corridors for trading ships

Ukraine has opened corridors for civilian merchant ships in the Black Sea. 

Rubryka reports, citing the Naval Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, that the military warns of a threat from the aggressor state Russia.

"According to the order of navigation instructions of the Navy of the Armed Forces of Ukraine No. 6 dated 08/08/2023, new temporary routes for the movement of civilian vessels to/from the Black Sea seaports of Ukraine were announced," the statement says. At the same time, it is reported that there is a military threat and mine danger from the Russian Federation throughout all routes.

Earlier, these routes were proposed by Ukraine to the International Maritime Organization. The IMO Council recognized Ukraine's right to free merchant shipping. The IMO also called on Russia to adhere to international conventions and not threaten Black Sea shipping.

The specified routes are primarily intended for the departure of civilian vessels in the Ukrainian ports of Chornomorsk, Odesa, and Pivdennyi since the beginning of the war.

Vessels whose owners/captains officially confirm that they are ready to sail in the current conditions will be allowed to pass through the routes. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine notes that the last ship with Ukrainian food left the port of Odesa on July 16.

Russia's withdrawal from the Black Sea Grain Initiative 

On July 17, the Kremlin refused to extend the grain agreement. Russian dictator's press secretary, Dmitry Peskov, said the "grain initiative" contracts had been terminated.

After that, the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, offered Turkiye and the UN to continue the grain initiative in a trilateral format. The country is considering transporting food through the territorial waters of Romania and Bulgaria.

On July 19, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation threatened that countries under whose flags ships would be sent to Ukrainian ports would be considered involved in the war. Russian dictator Vladimir Putin said that Russia would resume its participation in the "grain agreement" only if the West met several demands.

Russia began to threaten civilian ships transporting food from Ukrainian ports openly. Recently, the Kremlin has turned the Black Sea into a danger zone. In turn, Ukraine promised to respond in kind to Russia's threats to sink ships.

Background

Since the beginning of the full-scale war, 29 foreign ships have been in Mykolaiv ports.

"There are currently 29 foreign ships with cargo in Mykolaiv ports, including 6 Turkish ones. All of them are ready to go to sea as soon as the decision is made to connect Mykolaiv to the "grain corridor," said the head of the regional military administration Vitalii Kim at a briefing.

According to him, the situation on these vessels is very different. Most of them have crews, others have been evacuated, and some cargo is in danger of catching fire. The local administration keeps these issues under control. Water and provisions were delivered to some ships while the owners did it on their own.

According to him, there is currently no official information about Mykolaiv joining the "grain agreement," in his opinion, it will become more real only after the de-occupation of the Kinburn Spit. Currently, Mykolaiv has no intention of demining the ports.