The Ministry of Defense declared all ships going to the ports of Ukraine as potential military targets

The Russian Ministry of Defense announced that from 00:00 Moscow time on July 20, all ships sailing through the Black Sea to Ukrainian ports will be considered as potential carriers of military cargo. The flag countries of such vessels will be considered involved in the Ukrainian conflict on the side of Kyiv, the statement said.

“A number of sea areas in the northwestern and southeastern parts of the international waters of the Black Sea have been declared temporarily dangerous for navigation,” the statement says. message military department. The decision was made in connection with the termination of the grain deal and the “curtailment of the maritime humanitarian corridor.”

July 17 Russia officially notified on the objection to the extension of the grain deal until the conditions set by it are fulfilled. At the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation explainedthat withdrawal from the grain deal means: the withdrawal of guarantees for the safety of navigation, the curtailment of the maritime humanitarian corridor, the restoration of the regime of a temporarily dangerous area in the northwestern Black Sea.

Ukraine offered to continue the grain deal without Russia’s participation. July 18, press secretary of the Russian President Dmitry Peskov declaredthat in such a case it is necessary to take into account the “certain risks” associated with the lack of security guarantees near the combat zone.

By data Ukrainian authorities, on the night of July 19 in Odessa, port facilities involved in the grain deal, terminals came under fire, 60 thousand tons of grain were destroyed, which were supposed to be loaded in the port of Chornomorsk. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky called the infrastructure of the grain deal the target of the strikes.

More details – in the publication “Kommersant” “Ukrainian grain was put on pause”.

Lusine Balasyan