Six-grain vessels leave Ukrainian ports after Russia resumes participation in UN-brokered deal

Six-grain vessels left Ukrainian ports on Thursday after Russia resumed its participation in the UN-brokered deal which allows grain exports through the Black Sea. Turkey's Defence Minister Hulusi Akar in a statement said, the number of ships leaving Ukraine's ports reached 426, and the amount of grain transported exceeded 9.7 million tons. He said, they will intensify their efforts on the extension of the grain initiative, which will expire on the 19th of this month.

Russia on Wednesday announced its return to the implementation of grain export deal through the Black Sea, saying Ukraine has promised not to use humanitarian corridor for military attacks.

The Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement that the joint coordination center for the implementation of the Black Sea Grain Initiative has received a written guarantee from Ukraine of not using



the shipping route defined in the deal and Ukrainian ports designated for grain export to conduct military operations against Russia.

It said, the Ukrainian side officially assured that the maritime humanitarian corridor will be used only in accordance with the provisions of the grain export deal and related regulations of the joint coordination center.

Moscow on Saturday temporarily pulled out of the grain deal, accusing Ukraine of using a safe shipping corridor established under the agreement to launch a drone assault on its Black Sea fleet.

On the 22nd of July, Russia and Ukraine separately signed a document in Istanbul with Turkey and the United Nations on grain and fertilizer exports from Ukraine and Russia to ensure supplies to global markets amid the Russia-Ukraine conflict.