Ukraine prevented blockade of Black Sea ports – Infrastructure Ministry

"Special vessels of the state-owned [hydrographic] enterprise Derzhhidrohrafiya carried out 450 kilometers of linear survey of the bottom structure in the Dniester shoal area in record time. Studies have confirmed safety for navigation of the sea corridor between the western border of the area of illegal exercises of the Russian Federation and the Dniester shoal," the statement said.

According to Minister of Infrastructure Oleksandr Kubrakov, thanks to joint efforts and quick response, the Black Sea ports have not been blocked.

"The corridor identified during the research guarantees the ships safe passage through the Gulf of Odesa. Over the past 24 hours, we have recorded uninterrupted traffic of merchant ships. Most of the ships followed the recommendations and used the sea corridor bypassing the area of illegal military exercises of the Russian Federation," Kubrakov said.

At the time of the research, the Ministry of Infrastructure recommended this route for merchant ships, therefore Ukrainian ports were operating as normal. The bulk carrier MV Melia became the first, but not the only Panamax vessel to successfully use the new route from the port of Pivdenny.

Earlier reports said that Russia had declared large areas of the Azov and Black Seas unsafe for navigation in the period between February 13 and 19 in connection with exercises involving missile and artillery fire.

The Command of the Ukrainian Navy said that Russia's decision to close parts of the Azov and Black Seas poses a threat to Ukraine's sovereign rights in the exclusive maritime economic zone and is a violation of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry protested against Russia's decision to block parts of the Black and Azov Seas.

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