Ukraine announces 'temporary corridor' for civilian ships in Black Sea
Ukraine's Naval Forces announced on Aug. 10 new temporary routes for civilian vessels moving to or from the Black Sea ports amid a Russia-declared blockade.
The corridor will initially be used to enable the exit of civilian ships stuck in the Ukrainian ports of Chornomorsk, Odesa, and Pivdenny since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion.
However, the military threat from Russia and mine risks remain along all the routes, the navy said, adding that only vessels whose owners or captains officially confirm their readiness to sail under such conditions will be allowed to pass through.
According to the statement, Ukraine already proposed these routes to the International Maritime Organization, which recognized Ukraine's right to free commercial navigation, guaranteed by international maritime law.
Dinara Khalilova
"The corridor will be very transparent, we will put cameras on the ships, and there will be a broadcast to show that this is purely a humanitarian mission and has no military purpose," Oleh Chalyk, a spokesperson for Ukraine's navy, told Reuters.
The navy didn't clarify whether the new routes had been agreed with Moscow.
On July 19, the Russian Defense Ministry said that all vessels sailing to Ukrainian ports would be considered "potential carriers of military cargo" and, therefore, legitimate targets.
This policy went into effect after Moscow's one-sided termination of the Black Sea Grain Initiative that had allowed Ukraine to continue exporting its grain during the full-scale war.
However, according to the Institute for the Study of War's July 26 report, Russia's chances of implementing a Black Sea blockade are slim as this would entail Russian forces firing on any ships attempting to reach Ukraine, a move that risks direct military conflict with NATO countries.
Liliane Bivings
