The three Ukrainian ports designated for grain exports “resumed their work”, although efforts are still needed to ensure the safety of the convoys, the Ukrainian navy announced on Wednesday.
(Read: Ukraine bombs bridge in Kherson, key to Russian supplies)
“In the framework of the signing of the agreement on the release of Ukrainian ports for the export of grain, the ports of Odessa, Chornomorsk and Pivdennyi resumed their work“, indicated the Ukrainian fleet on Telegram.
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“The exit and entry of the ships to the seaports will be done by forming a convoy that will accompany the first ship. But this will be preceded by the hard work of hydrographers” to determine safe routes, the Ukrainian navy continued.
Ukraine said on Monday it hoped grain exports, crucial to global food security, would resume this week as food prices have soared since the start of the Russian invasion on February 24.
Ukraine and Russia sealed an agreement through the mediation of Turkey and under the auspices of the UN to release some 25 million tons of grain that are in Ukrainian ports.
Agreement between Russia and Ukraine to facilitate the export of grain from the Black Sea.
However, Ukrainian officials reiterated that they do not trust Moscow to ensure the safety of the convoys. The Kremlin, for its part, assured that it does not see any obstacle to resuming exports.
Our military continues to do its job (…) to restore the functioning of transportation.
But ships must avoid sea mines, scattered by Ukrainian forces to protect against a Russian amphibious assault.
“Our military continues to do its job … to restore the functioning of shipping in order to avoid a global food crisis,” the Ukrainian navy said on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Turkey formally opened the center in charge of coordinating Ukrainian grain exports across the Black Sea in Istanbul on Wednesday, under agreements signed by Russia and Ukraine to resume grain shipments for the first time in five months of war.
Under these agreements sealed on July 22 with Turkey and the United Nations, the Joint Coordination Center (JCC) will be in charge of carrying out inspections of ships leaving and arriving in Istanbul to ensure that they will only transport grain.
Operations center in Turkey
The center, established at the Defense University in Istanbul, “has delegations, made up of both civilians and military, from Russia, Ukraine, Turkey and the United Nations, of five people each,” Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi explained. Akar, during the inauguration.
If the need to clear (the sea) of mines is observed, it would be done in a coordinated manner. But for now, the need for mine clearance in the Black Sea is not foreseen.
“There will be no soldiers in the field (of maritime operations). Merchant ships will be registered from the center and their movements will be monitored, under the coordination of the United Nations and the party countries,” Akar said.
The signed agreement is valid for 120 days, but will be renewed automaticallyif no country indicates otherwise, he clarified.
Akar stressed that “at the moment the preparation of the first ships in the Ukrainian ports continues according to the plan”, but did not indicate dates for the start of exports.
“Cereal shipments benefit both Russia and Ukraine. We can expect the first ships to leave in the next two weeks. That depends a bit on how prepared the countries are,” Turkish Presidency spokesman Ibrahim said this morning. Kalin.
Turkey maintains a neutral position in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine and has spearheaded numerous mediation initiatives between Moscow and kyiv.
On August 5, the Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, will meet with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, in the Russian city of Sochi, and it is expected that one of the main issues on the table will be the cereal export agreement from Ukraine.
INTERNATIONAL WRITING
*With information from Efe and AFP
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