Sea corridor partially resumes operations after Russian attacks

Vessel traffic through the ports of Greater Odesa has partially resumed after a sharp reduction in sea shipments due to Russian attacks. Currently, three to four vessels enter and leave Ukrainian ports daily.

This was reported by the President of Ukraine, Vladimir Zelensky, following a meeting of the 'coalition of the willing' in Kyiv.

According to him, Russia has not yet succeeded in achieving a complete blockade of the Ukrainian sea corridor, although the intensity of shipping remains significantly lower than before.

"Today there is no total blockade; there is an attempt, but three to four ships a day enter and leave Odesa," — Zelensky stated.

The President clarified that before the increase in Russian drone and missile strikes, the volume of sea corridor traffic was approximately three to four times greater than at present.

The shipping situation deteriorated sharply in July and early August amid increased Russian attacks on port infrastructure and civilian vessels. For several weeks, new cargo ships practically did not enter Ukrainian Black Sea ports, which particularly hit grain exports at the height of the harvesting campaign.

In the first 12 days of August, Ukraine exported about 590,000 tons of grain — approximately 30% of the required volume. A significant portion of the cargo had to be redirected to the Danube, railways, and the western border, but these routes cannot fully replace the capacity of the ports of Greater Odesa.

Ukraine is currently considering several options to stabilize the operation of the sea corridor. According to Zelensky, several countries will join this process. Among possible solutions are negotiations with the Russian side and the strengthening of air defense to protect the grain corridor and port infrastructure.

Russia has intensified attacks on Ukrainian ports and vessels in the Black Sea in recent weeks. Kyiv, in turn, is striking Russian port and export infrastructure. The disruption of shipping has already created risks for grain supplies to the global market and led to growing concerns about food prices.

Sources: Vladimir Zelensky, EFE