A Ukrainian official announced today, Tuesday, that operations at Pivdennyi Port have been halted because Russia does not allow ships to enter, leading to its exclusion from the Ukrainian grain export agreement via the Black Sea. The Black Sea Grain Initiative, signed by Russia and Ukraine last July and extended last week for two months, aims to ensure the safe export of grains and foodstuffs during wartime from three Ukrainian ports: Odesa, Chornomorsk, and Pivdennyi.
The United Nations, which mediated the agreement along with Turkey, expressed concern yesterday, Monday, that Pivdennyi Port, near Odesa on the Black Sea, has not received any ships since May 2 under the agreement. Ukrainian Deputy Minister of Infrastructure Yurii Vaskov told Reuters, "Officially, Pivdennyi Port is part of the initiative, but in reality, it has not been part of it for a month. No ships enter it." He added in written comments, "They (Russia) have now found an effective way to significantly limit (Ukrainian) grain exports by excluding Pivdennyi Port, which receives large cargo ships, from the initiative." Vaskov described the move as a "blatant violation" of the agreement.
