KYIV: Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky said two more vessels had passed via a “temporary” Black Sea corridor setup since Moscow withdrew from the UN-sponsored grain export agreement in July, Western media reported on Saturday. “Two vessels have successfully passed via our temporary ‘corridor’,” President Zelensky posted on social media.
Two More Vessels Pass Via Black Sea Corridor: Ukrainian Leader
However, he did not identify the ships involved or say when the vessels had completed their passage. Authorities on Friday said two ships had cleared the corridor — bringing to four that have utilized it.
President Zelensky added Kyiv was “restoring real freedom of navigation in the Black Sea but freedom needs determination.”
Earlier, a Ukrainian deputy PM said two ships had passed via the corridor from Pivdenny’s port: one identified in Liberia, the second in the Marshall Islands. As per the media reports, these ships were carrying iron concentrate.
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Russian authorities have blockaded Ukrainian ports since it attacked Ukraine in 2022 and also threatened to treat all ships as potential army targets after pulling out of the agreement.
In reply, Kyiv announced a “humanitarian corridor” caressing the western Black Sea coast near Bulgaria and Romania. The grain deal had permitted Ukraine, a major agricultural producer, to send tens of millions of metric tons of items to other nations during the war.
Russian President Putin will hold a meeting with Turkish President Erdogan on Monday in the Black Sea resort of Sochi as the UN and Ankara seek to revive the deal.
