Russia’s Defense Ministry has said it has created conditions for two maritime humanitarian corridors to allow the safe movement of ships in the Black and Azov Seas, according to a statement issued by the Telegram on Monday. The statement comes amid international condemnation of Russia’s months-long blockade of key ports.
“The Russian Federation is taking the full range of measures to ensure the safety of civil shipping in the waters of the Black and Azov Seas,” the Russian ministry said in a statement. “There remains a danger to shipping and damage to port infrastructure from the drift of Ukrainian mines torn from anchors along the Black Sea coast.”
Background: World leaders have condemned the months-long blockade by Russian forces of key ports in Ukraine – including Mariupol on the Sea of Azov and Odessa on the Black Sea – that left more than 20 million tonnes of grain left in the country. The Ukrainian navy said on Monday that approximately 30 Russian ships and submarines continue to blockade civilian ships in the Black Sea.
According to the Russian statement, the maritime humanitarian corridor in the Sea of Azov will work around the clock to allow ships to leave the port of Mariupol,
Meanwhile, in the Black Sea, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced that a maritime humanitarian corridor “for exits from the ports of Kherson, Nikolaev, Chernomorsk, Ochakov, Odessa and South to the southwest from the territorial sea of Ukraine” will operate during working hours.
The Russian ministry also accused the Ukrainian authorities of failing to take steps to resolve the issue of the blocked ships.
On Tuesday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov reiterated that Ukraine must demine coastal waters for the passage of grain ships and ensure that Russia will facilitate their passage and will not use demined sea corridors to attack Ukraine.
Ukraine has also accused the Russians of planting mines in the Black Sea.
CNN’s Anna Chernova contributed to the report for this post.
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