Ships bound for Russia-controlled ports to be deemed ‘potential military cargo carriers’: Ukraine

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) – Ukraine on Thursday announced it will consider ships either sailing to Russian ports or towards Ukrainian ports under Russian control in the Black Sea to be “potentially carrying military cargo,” following a similar decision by Russia a day earlier.

The Ukrainian Defense Ministry said in a statement that the decision will become effective as of Thursday midnight (2100GMT).

It also said navigation in the northeastern parts of the Black Sea as well as the Kerch-Yenikale canal was prohibited as it is dangerous as of 5 a.m. (0200GMT) on Thursday.

“Relevant navigational information for mariners has already been published,” said the statement, which accused Russia of “brutally violating the universal right to free navigation for the whole world” and “deliberately undermining food security, condemning millions of people to starvation.”

It also accused Russia of turning the Black Sea into a “danger zone” and directed the responsibility for all risks in this regard towards the Russian leadership.

On Wednesday, the Russian Defense Ministry announced that it would consider all ships en route to Ukrainian ports in the Black Sea as “potential carriers of military cargo,” a decision which it said would be effective as of Wednesday midnight.