UN: grain freighters to continue to move through Black Sea despite Russia’s cancellation
- The joint coordination centre in Istanbul said the delegations of the United Nations, Türkiye and Ukraine have agreed on a corresponding plan
- On Saturday, Russia cancelled the agreement on the transport of Ukrainian grain from the ports in the Black Sea ‘indefinitely’
Ships are expected to continue sailing through the Black Sea Corridor on Monday despite Russia’s recent cancellation of an agreement on grain exports from Ukraine, the joint coordination centre in Istanbul said late on Sunday.
The delegations of the United Nations, Türkiye and Ukraine have agreed on a corresponding plan, according to a statement from the centre.
On Monday, 12 ships are to set off through the corridor towards Istanbul, while four are to move in the opposite direction in a move that was coordinated with the Russian delegation.
Currently, 21 freighters taking part in the initiative loaded with a total of about 700,000 tons of grain are in or near the three Ukrainian ports, the statement said further.
On Saturday, Russia cancelled the agreement on the transport of Ukrainian grain from the ports in the Black Sea “indefinitely,” citing “terrorist attacks” on its Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol.
The agreement, mediated by Türkiye and the UN, was reached in July and ended the months-long blockade of Ukrainian grain exports amid Russia’s war on Ukraine.
Russia exits grain deal, says Crimea drones used grain corridor ‘safe zone’
According to Turkish information, 9.3 million tons of grain have been shipped since then. It had been agreed that the ships and their cargo would be checked as they passed through the Turkish Bosphorus Straits.
The agreement was originally scheduled expire on November 19 – but was set to automatically be extended if neither side objected.
Moscow has recently repeatedly criticised the agreement because its own grain and fertiliser exports have slowed down as a result of sanctions imposed by the West.
