Ukraine announces temporary corridors in the Black Sea for merchant ships
Ukraine has announced temporary corridors in the Black Sea for merchant vessels sailing to and from the Ukrainian ports of Chernomorsk, Odessa and Yuzhny, Rador reports. Kiev warns, however, that the military threat and danger of landmines remains on the route. So ships whose owners and captains "officially confirm their readiness to sail under these conditions" are allowed to pass.
New temporary routes have been announced for the movement of civilian vessels to and from Ukraine's Black Sea ports.
"They will be used mainly to allow the exit of civilian ships located in the Ukrainian ports of Chernomorsk, Odessa and Yuzhniy as early as the end of February 2022," Ukrainian Navy spokesman Oleh Cealik said.
He also said that video cameras will be installed on the vessels, which will transmit images to show that the export of products will be transparent and will not be used for military purposes.
The Kiev authorities also announced that they are considering, in particular, the route through the territorial waters and exclusive maritime economic zones of Romania and Bulgaria.
Earlier, the Russian Defence Ministry warned that as of 20 July, all ships sailing through the Black Sea to Ukrainian ports will be considered as potential carriers of military goods.
Sources in the Russian ministry stressed that countries under the flag of such ships will be considered to be involved in the Ukrainian conflict on Kiev's side.
Also, a number of areas in the northwestern and southeastern international waters of the Black Sea are considered temporarily dangerous for navigation. The decision was taken against the background of the termination of the grain agreement and the expiry of the humanitarian sea corridor.
On 17 July, Russia announced that it was suspending its participation in the agreement on Ukrainian grain exports, trying to justify this by new explosions on the Crimean bridge. At the same time, Moscow withdrew "security guarantees" for shipping in the Black Sea.