Ukraine announces the date of export of the "first grain shipment" despite the bombing

Ukraine announced today, Monday, that it expects to export the first shipments of grain “this week”, in accordance with the agreement signed with Moscow, despite the Russian bombing that targeted the port of Odessa on Saturday, which is considered a pivotal for sending shipments.

"We expect the agreement to start working in the next few days and we expect to establish a coordination center in Istanbul in the next few days. We are preparing everything to start this week," Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kobrakov told a press conference.

He pointed out that the main obstacle to the export of grain is the dangers of Russian bombing, especially after the strike on Saturday at the port of Odessa on the Black Sea, which is considered a hub for grain shipment.

Kobrakov called on Turkey and the United Nations, guarantors of the agreement, to secure the Ukrainian shipments, warning that "if the parties do not guarantee security, it will not work."

Also impeding the export of grain is the presence of naval mines planted by the Ukrainian forces to prevent Russia from carrying out a landing operation on its coasts.

The minister said that mines would only be removed "in the corridor necessary for export operations".

He added that Ukrainian ships will accompany the shipments, which can also transport fertilizers as well as grain.

For his part, Deputy Minister of Infrastructure Yuri Vaskov said that the port of Chornomorsk (southwest) will be the first port from which shipments depart, followed by the port of Odessa (south), and then the port of Bivdnyi (southwest).

"During the next two weeks, we will be technically ready to export shipments of grain from all Ukrainian ports," he said.

Ukraine's grain exports are essential to global food security and 25 million tons of it have been stuck in the country since the start of the Russian invasion on February 24.

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