Ukraine has suspended the use of a new Black Sea grain corridor due to threats from Russian planes, Kyiv-based consultancy Barva Invest said on Thursday, although the Ukrainian government has not made any official statement on the matter, Reuters reports.
“We inform you about the temporary suspension of the movement of vessels to and from (ports). The current ban comes into effect on October 26, but may be extended,” the consulting company said in a message on the Telegram channel.
The consulting firm explained that the suspension has been in effect for two days and that the Armed Forces of Ukraine requested this due to the increased activity of Russian aviation over the Black Sea.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said last Wednesday that he had ordered the Russian Aerospace Forces to begin constant patrolling of the airspace over the Black Sea with fighter jets armed with Kinzhal (Dagger) missiles.
At the time, Putin said he was only “briefing” on the decision, but again accused the United States of getting more involved in the war in Ukraine, as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed a day earlier that Washington had provided his country with long-range ATACMS actions shock missiles.
How much is Ukrainian export through the Black Sea “corridor”?
Ukraine launched a so-called “humanitarian corridor” in August for ships bound for Africa and Asia to try to bypass the Russian blockade of the Black Sea. The move comes after Russia in July suspended its participation in an agreement to export grain through the Black Sea.
Ukrainian officials and maritime trade sources say that 40 vessels have so far used this corridor and 1.5 million tons of Ukrainian goods have been exported via this route.
Most of the exports were grain, vegetable oils and food products, as Ukraine’s neighboring countries banned the import of these products to protect local farmers.
News of the suspension of the Black Sea Corridor comes after agricultural producers in Ukraine expressed hope earlier in the week that it could be used to export up to 2.5 million tonnes of food each month, almost as much as the UN-brokered deal that Moscow denounced in July also conditioned.
Deputy Minister of Agriculture of Ukraine Taras Vysotskyi said on Wednesday that grain exports through the corridor could exceed one million tons this month.
Follow the latest events of the 610th day of the war in Ukraine LIVETEXT on HOTNEWS.RO.
Source: Hot News
James Springer is a renowned author and opinion writer, known for his bold and thought-provoking articles on a wide range of topics. He currently works as a writer at 247 news reel, where he uses his unique voice and sharp wit to offer fresh perspectives on current events. His articles are widely read and shared and has earned him a reputation as a talented and insightful writer.