According to BBC-Ukraine, work has begun at three ports to create “green lanes” that will permit the export of grains. Naval construction teams will develop ways out of the southern ports of Odesa, Chornomorsk, and Pivdennyi, according to a representative for the Odesa military administration. According to Serhiy Bratchuk, “caravans” of ships escorted by Ukrainian…
According to BBC-Ukraine, work has begun at three ports to create “green lanes” that will permit the export of grains.
Naval construction teams will develop ways out of the southern ports of Odesa, Chornomorsk, and Pivdennyi, according to a representative for the Odesa military administration.
According to Serhiy Bratchuk, “caravans” of ships escorted by Ukrainian naval ships will travel the regular routes through the Black Sea.
Last week, an agreement was reached between Kyiv and Moscow to allow grain shipments.
Russia agreed not to attack ports while grain was in transit as part of the agreement, while Ukraine agreed to direct cargo ships across mined seas. The agreement was mediated by Turkey and the UN.
Less than 24 hours after it was signed, two Russian missiles struck a port in the city of Odesa, bringing the accord to a screeching halt.
In the harbor-docked Ukrainian naval ship was the attack’s stated objective, according to Russia.
Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, claimed that the strike demonstrated that Moscow could not be relied upon to uphold the agreement and branded his nation as “barbaric.”
And on Wednesday morning, Andrei Rudenko, the deputy foreign minister of Russia, issued a warning that the agreement would fail if barriers to Russian agricultural exports are not lifted.
Mr. Bratchuk stated that despite the unpredictability, Ukraine intends to uphold the agreement and has committed to fulfilling its duties, despite the possibility of Russian “attack”.
He said that military and civilian specialists will
“carefully search for underwater objects, install special means of navigation equipment that will help the safety of navigation”.
It occurs at the same time that Istanbul’s joint grain coordination center was opened by Turkey’s Defense Minister, Hulusi Akar.
The center will supervise the safe passage of Ukrainian vessels and check them for weapons as they approach and exit the Black Sea. It will be staffed by Ukrainian and Russian officials as well as Turkish and UN monitors.
“The staff working at this centre are aware that the eyes of the world are upon them,” Mr Akar told reporters. “It is our hope that the centre will make the greatest contribution possible to humanitarian needs and peace.”
Around one-third of the world’s wheat supply, according to Mr. Akar, is produced in Russia and the Ukraine.
Approximately 20 million tonnes of grain intended for export are stuck in Ukraine, and Mr. Zelensky has warned that after this year’s harvest, that number might climb to 75 million tonnes.
In other areas of Ukraine, fierce combat has persisted despite heavy resistance to a southern counteroffensive Kyiv launched.
The Antonivskiy Bridge was forced to close after being heavily damaged by a Ukrainian artillery strike, according to officials deployed by Russia in the seized city of Kherson.
Anton Gerashchenko, a senior adviser to Mr Zelensky, said the strike had “dealt another powerful blow to one of the two bridges which are used by the invaders for a massive transfer of troops”.
Russian forces have relied on it as one of only two crossings over the Dnipro river close to Kherson to supply troops west of the river.
In recent days, Kyiv has intensified its attacks on the bridge in an effort to cut off Moscow’s forces.
Senior Ukrainian official Sergiy Khlan claimed that the counteroffensive was succeeding and that the area will “certainly” be liberated by September.
But the UK’s defense ministry asserted that Ukraine had probably experienced setbacks in other places.
