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Ukraine has announced the creation of temporary corridors for commercial vessels to leave Black Sea ports, despite ongoing threats from Russia.
These routes will be used to allow civilian vessels to leave Ukraine’s ports of Chornomorsk, Odesa, and Pivdennyi, the Ukrainian Navy reports on Facebook. The routes will be open to merchant ships that can prove they are ready to sail.
The last commercial grain ship left a Ukrainian port on 16 July, the Ukrainian Navy said in a Facebook post, a day before Russia pulled out of a UN- and Turkish-brokered grain deal.
Russia has previously stated that any ships heading to Ukraine will be considered as potentially carrying military cargo.
Turkey continues to insist on the resumption of the grain deal. Under the grain deal, ships have exported 32,856,036 tonnes of food from Ukraine.
Last week, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan spoke with Russian President Putin, during which Putin reiterated his position that Russia will join the grain deal when its terms are met.
The largest component of Ukraine’s exports is grain, which is often shipped to low-income countries, both as raw materials and processed food. Exports are also a significant part of the country’s economy.
Pentagon spokesman Brigadier General Pat Ryder had no further details on the temporary corridors, he told reporters on Thursday.
“Clearly, from the perspective of the U.S. government, we urge Russia to honour the grain deal, recognising that its implications extend far beyond Europe to places like Africa, where people rely on this grain to be able to feed themselves and their families,” Ryder said.
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