Ukraine not to fully demine Odesa port’s water area amid "grain corridor" deal
The unblocking of the Odesa port for the export of Ukrainian grain and the opening of the so-called "grain corridor" for food exports despite the latest Russian shelling of port infrastructure do not involve the complete demining of the harbor water area. Pilots will navigate grain carriers out of the three designated ports through narrow fairways.
That’s according to the spokesman for the Odesa Regional Military Administration, Serhiy Bratchuk, who spoke on the air of the national telethon.
"When it comes to unblocking the export of Ukrainian grain and the opening of the ‘grain corridor,’ no one says that the water area of the Odesa port will be completely demined... It will be a narrow fairway for grain carriers – those caravans of ships that are intended to be grouped and then accompanied along the designated route. Everything else will remain mined," Bratchuk said.
The Regional Military Administration spokesman noted that a certain part of the population considers the agreements reached in Istanbul to weaken mine safety.
"This won’t happen," Bratchuk emphasized, "that's why the ban on visiting beaches on the Black Sea coast and swimming in the sea remains in force. I’d like to emphasize this," said Bratchuk.
He added that "it is a technical route – designed specifically for ships, for the bread caravan."
As Ukrinform reported, referring to the Ministry of Infrastructure, after the signing of the Initiative on the export of grain and related food products by sea on July 22, the ports of Odesa, Chornomorsk, and Pivdenny are preparing to resume operations. The ships set to carry grain will enter and exit the said seaports in a caravan formation, accompanied by local pilots.
On July 23, the enemy attacked the Odesa sea trade port with Kalibr cruise missiles. Two missiles were shot down by anti-aircraft defense forces, while another two hit the port’s infrastructure facilities.
On July 22, in Istanbul, as a result of the quadrilateral meeting of Ukraine, Turkey, the UN, and Russia, an agreement was signed, within the framework of which grain and other food products will be exported from the ports of Ukraine.