Russia warns ships in Black Sea are ‘potential military cargo carriers’

Russia warned this Wednesday that from tonight it will consider all ships passing through the Black Sea bound for Ukrainian ports as possible carriers of military cargo and therefore potential military targets.

“Due to the end [de Cereais] Black Sea and the closure of the maritime humanitarian corridor, from 21:00 Moscow time [22h00 em Lisboa] All ships heading to Ukrainian ports in the Black Sea will be considered potential military cargo carriers,” the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement.

“Consequently, countries whose flags belong to these ships will be considered involved in the conflict in Ukraine on the side of the Kyiv regime,” the agency said in a statement.

The ministry also stressed that some sea areas in the northwestern and southeastern parts of the international waters of the Black Sea are temporarily recognized as dangerous for navigation.

Russia has already issued warnings to withdraw its maritime security guarantees in accordance with established navigational procedures.

Moscow suspended on Monday its participation in the grain deal, which allowed Ukraine to export almost 33 million tons of grain from the country’s three ports in almost a year of the deal.

The Russian authorities have made it clear that they will return to the protocol only if their conditions are met, namely the trade in their own agricultural products, which, as they emphasize, have suffered from Western sanctions.

Russia’s demands also include the reintegration of its agricultural bank, Rosselkhozbank, into the SWIFT international banking system, the lifting of sanctions on spare parts for agricultural machinery, the unblocking of transport logistics and insurance, the unfreezing of assets, and the reopening of the Togliatti bank. Odessa ammonia pipeline that exploded on June 5.

Now Kiev is looking for alternatives with the UN and Turkey, also the initiators of the agreement, to continue supplying its grain to countries in need, as well as for the economic security of Ukraine itself, which can once again keep its “reserves”.

The agreement, under which Russia pledged not to jeopardize the food security of countries most in need, not to attack ships carrying grain across the Black Sea, or related Ukrainian infrastructure, has been terminated with the suspension of the agreement by the Kremlin.

Over the past two days, Russia has bombed the port of Odessa, and today also the port of Chornomorsk, the two main infrastructures from which shipments of Ukrainian grain traveled to Turkey, where they were screened before proceeding to their final destination.