Russia says all cargo ships en route to Ukrainian ports on the Black Sea would be regarded as possibly carrying military cargo, days after scrapping a grain exports deal with Ukraine.
"From 00:00 am Moscow time on 20 July 2023 (2100 GMT), all vessels on the Black Sea sailing to Ukrainian ports will be regarded as potential carriers of military cargo," the defence ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.
Kyiv has said it was prepared to continue grain exports through its southern ports, despite Russia pulling out of the deal that allowed safe passage through the Black Sea.
Ukrainian presidential aide Mykhailo Podolyak told AFP news agency that Kyiv was considering a joint military patrol among Black Sea countries.
Dangerous passage
A day after the Kremlin warned of "risks" to establishing Black Sea routes without Moscow's participation, Russia issued the new, more concrete threat.
"The flag states of these vessels will be considered to be party to the Ukrainian conflict on the side of the Kyiv regime," it said.
It also said, "Some areas in northwestern and southeastern parts of the international waters of the Black Sea have been declared temporarily dangerous for passage." Ships registered with a certain country -- their flag state -- must follow its regulations.
Meanwhile, Ukraine is setting up a temporary shipping route to maintain grain shipments after Russia quit the deal allowing Ukrainian exports via a UN-backed safe corridor in the Black Sea, Kiev said.
Searching options
In an official letter letter dated July 18 submitted to UN shipping agency, the International Maritime Organization (IMO), Ukraine said it had "decided to establish on a temporary basis a recommended maritime route".
"Its goal is to facilitate the unblocking of international shipping in the north-western part of the Black Sea," Vasyl Shkurakov, Ukraine's acting minister for communities, territories and infrastructure development, said in the letter.
Ukraine added in the letter that it would establish shipping traffic routes close to the waters around Chornomorsk, Odessa, Pivdennyi, the three Ukrainian ports that were part of the corridor, leading up to the territorial waters and the exclusive maritime economic zone of Romania.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said the Black Sea grain deal could continue without Russian participation, and Ukraine is working on options to keep its commitments on food supplies.
