Title: Ukraine Accuses Russia of Threatening Civilian Vessels in Black Sea
Date: July 28, 2022
KYIV, July 28 – In a recent development, a senior Ukrainian official has accused Russia of threatening civilian vessels in the Black Sea, prompting calls from the international community to condemn these actions labeled as “the methods of terrorists.” The official, Andriy Yermak, who leads President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s office, expressed concerns about the violations of international maritime law by Russian warships.
Last week, Russia announced its withdrawal from a U.N.-brokered deal that ensured the safe export of grain for Ukraine, a major global producer, through the Black Sea. In addition, Russia issued a warning, stating that ships headed to Ukrainian seaports could be considered military targets.
Acknowledging the gravity of the situation, Yermak took to the Telegram messaging app to highlight Russia’s threatening behavior towards civilians in the Black Sea. He criticized the Russian warships for violating international norms and called for condemnation from the international community.
Ukraine’s border guard service further underlined the seriousness of the issue, stating that they intercepted a warning communicated by Russia to a civilian vessel passing near a Ukrainian port on Thursday. Although the ship and port were not identified, the statement emphasized that Russian warships continued to disregard international maritime law with their audacious actions.
The Russian party reportedly warned the vessel about movement restrictions to Ukrainian ports and considered the transport of any cargo to Ukraine as the potential transportation of military cargo. Additionally, the statement suggested that the country of the vessel’s flag would be considered a party to the conflict in Ukraine.
As of now, Russia has not provided an immediate response to Yermak’s comments or the border guard service’s statement, leaving the situation unresolved.
Russia’s Federal Security Service made a separate announcement on Thursday, claiming to have found traces of explosives on a foreign vessel traveling from Turkey to Russia. This marked the second incident this week involving a foreign ship heading to Russia to collect grain that had previously visited a Ukrainian port.
It is worth noting that Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, deploying tens of thousands of troops. Since then, Russia has carried out numerous airstrikes on Ukrainian grain facilities. Moscow’s decision to withdraw from the Black Sea Grain Initiative, brokered by the U.N. and Turkey in July last year, has raised concerns that Russia aims to limit Ukraine’s access to the Black Sea and establish itself as a dominant global grain supplier.
The situation in the Black Sea continues to escalate, with Ukraine urging the international community to take action against Russia’s aggressive actions. The conflict not only has significant implications for Ukraine’s agricultural sector but also poses a threat to regional stability.
Reporting by Anna Pruchnicka and Kyiv bureau; writing by Tom Balmforth; editing by Timothy Heritage.
Disclaimer: This article has been produced based on available information at the time and may be subject to updates as the situation unfolds.