Moscow has been the target of repeated drone attacks since the beginning of May

2023-08-01 19:41:18

At least six ships heading for Ukraine via the Black Sea, despite the expiry of the Ukrainian grain agreement

At least six civilian vessels entered the Black Sea heading for Ukrainian ports, despite threats from Russia, according to naval tracking data. A investigator using Open Source Intelligence (OSINT), Markus Jonssonfirst identified three ships, Ams1, Sahin 2 et Yilmaz-Captainfrom Israel, Greece and Turkey/Georgia, and “openly displaying Ukraine as a destination”.

These navigation data were then confirmed by satellite images showing that the first two ships used the Bosphorus Strait, off Istanbul, and the third boat passed Sinop, in northeastern Turkey. Note thatAms1 et Yilmaz-Captain changed their final destination during the trip to show Romanian ports, notes Markus Jonsson.

Other ships are currently sailing in the Black Sea, despite Russian threats to target any ship, military or civilian, that tries to reach a Ukrainian port. These ships “use various methods to circumvent Russian threats”, assures the investigator, choosing not to reveal them for security reasons. A total of six ships thus defied the Russian blockade in the Black Sea. They are all under Turkish management, according to Markus Jonsson, although they sail under different flags and come from still different ports.

At least four of these six vessels are currently approaching Ukrainian shores, and have not been disturbed. After the Ukrainian grain deal expired on July 27, Moscow reinstated a blockade de facto on the Black Sea. Russia has insisted that it could now consider any ship traveling to Ukraine as carrying military equipment and could therefore inspect it.