EFor the first time since the end of the grain agreement canceled by Russia, two civilian foreign cargo ships have called at a Ukrainian port. Russia, meanwhile, denies Ukrainians’ reports that they recently liberated the village of Andriivka in Donetsk region. And Poland is the last EU country bordering Russia to ban Russian cars from entering the country.
Freighters want to bring 20,000 tons of wheat to Africa and Asia
The shipping companies of the ships “Resilient Africa” and “Aroyat” have expressed their willingness to call at the port of Chornomorsk on the Black Sea and load around 20,000 tons of wheat there for African and Asian countries, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Olexander Kubrakow said on Facebook on Saturday . A few hours later in the evening, both freighters successfully arrived in Chornomorsk, according to the MarineTraffic ship information service. An official confirmation was initially pending.
Both ships fly the flag of the Pacific state of Palau and, according to information from Kiev, their crews consist of citizens of Ukraine, Turkey, Azerbaijan and Egypt.
As a result of the Russian war of aggression, the Ukrainian Black Sea ports are blocked by the Russian fleet. An international agreement for Ukrainian agricultural exports from a total of three ports – including Chornomorsk – was not extended by the Russians in July.
Ukraine then established a temporary corridor for civilian ships to use at their own risk. Five freighters have already used this to leave the Ukrainian ports, some of which have been stuck since the war began on February 24, 2022. The German freighter “Joseph Schulte” was among them in August. However, no civilian cargo ship has called at Ukrainian ports since the introduction of this temporary corridor.
Russia denies loss of village in Donetsk region
Russia’s military has denied Ukrainian reports of recapturing the village of Andriivka in the eastern Donetsk region. The Ukrainian army “tried in vain to push the Russian forces back from the towns of Klishchyivka and Andriivka (…),” said Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov. However, he did not provide any evidence for this statement.
On Friday, both the Ukrainian General Staff and President Volodymyr Zelensky announced the liberation of the town of Andriivka, which was completely destroyed by the war. It was also said from Kiev that its own troops were also active in the neighboring towns of Klischchiivka and Kurdjumovka. On Saturday, a Ukrainian brigade also released a video that is said to show the liberation operation in Andriyivka.
Stoltenberg expects a long war in Ukraine
According to a media report, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg does not expect the fighting in Ukraine to end quickly. “Most wars last longer than expected when they broke out,” he told the newspapers of the Funke media group in a pre-published article. “We all want a quick peace. At the same time, we have to recognize that if President Zelenskyj and the Ukrainians stop fight, their country will no longer exist. If President Putin and Russia stop arms, we will have peace,” said Stoltenberg.
Security guarantees are then necessary for Ukraine so that history does not repeat itself. There is no doubt that Ukraine will eventually be in NATO. Sweden, however, will join the alliance in the near future. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has announced that Turkey will ratify accession as soon as possible. “I expect the Turkish parliament’s decision later this fall,” Stoltenberg said in the previously published article.
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