Ukraine’s Defence Ministry has announced that it would consider all vessels sailing to ports in Russia or the occupied territories of Ukraine to be transporting military-grade cargo starting 21 June, as per the agency’s statement.
It was also announced that this was the reaction to Russia’s similar statement regarding Ukrainian ships.
“The Kremlin has turned the Black Sea into a danger zone for Russian vessels and those vessels sailing ro Russian seaports and Ukrainian seaports in the temporarily occupied territories. All the responsibility for those risks lies with the Russian leadership,” Ukraine’s statement reads.
The Ukrainian Defence Ministry has also accused Russia of violating the right to free maritime traffic and undermining global food security.
“The fate of the Moskva cruiser proves that Ukraine’s defence has all the necessary means to repel Russia’s aggression at sea,” Ukraine’s Defence Ministry stated.
The Russian Ministry of Defence declared yesterday that starting from 20 July 2023, all vessels sailing in the waters of the Black Sea to Ukrainian ports would be considered potential carriers of military cargo.
This caused global wheat prices to spiral, as per IStories. The September wheat futures went up by 9% at the Chicago Merc, which was the biggest increase since the start of the Ukraine war.