Russia Ruins 60-K Tons Of Wheat Bound For China

Russia warned that from Thursday, July 20, 2023, any ship sailing to Ukraine's Black Sea ports will be seen as bearing military cargoes as Ukraine said it was setting up a temporary shipping route to try and continue its grain exports, Michelle Nichols reported for Reuters.

Photo Insert: Russia's Defense Ministry said it would deem all ships traveling to Ukraine to be potentially carrying military cargo and "the flag countries of such ships will be considered parties to the Ukrainian conflict."

The moves by both countries on Wednesday came just days after Russia quit a deal - brokered by the United Nations and Turkey - that allowed the safe Black Sea export of Ukraine grain for the past year, and revoked guarantees of safe navigation.

But Russia’s biggest casualty in its attacks on Black Sea ports is the terminal processing 60,000 metric tons of wheat and other agricultural products bound for China.

Ukraine has made clear that it wants to try and continue its Black Sea grain shipments and told the UN shipping agency, the International Maritime Organization (IMO), that it had "decided to establish on a temporary basis a recommended maritime route."

But Russia's Defense Ministry said it would deem all ships traveling to Ukraine to be potentially carrying military cargo and "the flag countries of such ships will be considered parties to the Ukrainian conflict."

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