Despite the Russian naval blockade, two more cargo ships passed through the grain corridor established by Kiev, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. “Ukraine is restoring freedom of navigation in the Black Sea,” Zelensky said tonight on the Twitter (X) platform.
After Russia withdrew the agreement to transport Ukrainian grain across the Black Sea, Kiev is trying to organize exports despite the risk of attacks from Moscow. Russia has threatened to consider ships calling at Ukrainian ports as carrying military cargo. Leaving Ukrainian ports is therefore considered a lower risk.
Zelensky did not provide details about the ships that had already sailed successfully. However, the day before, on the Internet portal Marinetraffic, which displays ship movements, two cargo ships could be seen leaving the port of Pivdennyj in southern Ukraine on the Black Sea, approximately 20 kilometers east of Odessa.
Dozens of merchant ships have been trapped in Ukrainian Black Sea ports since the Russian invasion began more than 18 months ago. Meanwhile, the agreement to export Ukrainian cereals allowed some cargo ships to leave ports, but since mid-July Russia has suspended the agreement and re-established the naval blockade.