Ukraine announced that it resumes grain shipments from the Azov Sea, which was blocked for about 10 days, due to a military tension with Russia in the Kerch Strait. Ukraine also imposed martial law on November 26, in some regions, because of the situation with Russia.
On November 25, Russia seized three Ukrainian naval ships and their crews. On 26th of November, the Ukrainian Parliament adopted Martial Law proposed by President, citing threat of Russian invasion.
The thirty days of martial law, started November 28, are expected to end on 27 December. The martial law has effect across ten regions of Ukraine bordering Russia to the east and the Black and Azov Seas to the south.
However, Ukraine’s agriculture ministry stated on Tuesday that the passage of vessels with agricultural products through ports in the Azov Sea has been unlocked, according to Reuters. The loading of grain to vessels through the ports of Mariupol and Berdyansk is restored and carried out in regular mode, he added.
Furthermore, Ukraine’s infrastructure minister Volodymyr Omelyan said the two ports, which are crucial for eastern Ukraine’s economy, have been “partially unlocked” with the restoration of some free movement through the Kerch Strait.
[smlsubform prepend=”GET THE SAFETY4SEA IN YOUR INBOX!” showname=false emailtxt=”” emailholder=”Enter your email address” showsubmit=true submittxt=”Submit” jsthanks=false thankyou=”Thank you for subscribing to our mailing list”]
Germany welcomed the news but also repeated its call for Russia to release the 24 Ukrainian sailors who are facing charges of illegally entering Russian waters.
Moreover, delegations of 34 IMO member countries, including Australia, Great Britain, Georgia, Canada, Germany, France and the United States have supported Ukraine’s position and condemned yet another act of armed aggression by Russia against Ukraine, according to the Ukrainian embassy.