A merchant ship has departed the Ukrainian port of Odesa, despite fears that Russia might attack ships in the Black Sea.
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, the Hong Kong-flagged Joseph Schulte had been trapped in the port.
After a deal that had allowed it to export grain last month collapsed, Kyiv has announced a “humanitarian corridor” in the Black Sea.
Moscow, however, has not indicated whether it will adhere to the corridor.
The ship sailed away as reports from Kyiv claimed that Russian airstrikes had destroyed grain storage facilities in Reni, a river port on the Danube River located about 260 kilometers (160 miles) south-west of Odesa.
Reuters was informed by an industry source that the port was still open.
Regarding the most recent attack, Russia made no remarks.
Russia announced last month that any ship sailing toward Ukrainian ports could be viewed as a military target and withdrew from an agreement that guaranteed exports across the Black Sea would be transported safely.
It opened fire on a ship heading toward Ukraine earlier this week as a warning.
Since Ukraine is a significant exporter of grains and oilseeds, the blockade has contributed to drive up food prices around the world.
Despite the warnings, Ukraine last week announced a humanitarian corridor in the Black Sea to permit ships to leave its ports, promising complete transparency to make it clear they were acting in no way related to the military.
Oleksandr Kubrakov, the deputy prime minister, posted on Facebook that “a first vessel used the temporary corridor for merchant ships to/from the ports of Great Odesa”.
According to Reuters, the Joseph Schulte’s owners, Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement and a Chinese bank, confirmed the ship was headed to Istanbul, Turkey.
It was transporting more than 30,000 tonnes of cargo, including food in 2,114 containers, Mr. Kubrakov said, adding that the corridor would primarily be used to evacuate ships trapped in Black Sea ports ever since Russia’s full-scale invasion started.
In the meantime, Russian forces had been routed from Urozhaine, a small hamlet in the Donetsk region, according to Ukrainian officials.
Hanna Maliar, the deputy defense minister, posted on Telegram, “Urozhaine liberated – our defenders are entrenched at the outskirts”.
Source-BBC
