A wide global welcome... and 16 loaded ships awaiting departure
The first Ukrainian grain ship to leave the port of Odessa since the war
The ship Razzoni leaves the port of Odessa with the first shipment of Ukrainian grain.
AFP
Ukraine resumed grain exports yesterday for the first time since the start of Russia's war against it six months ago, with the first ship leaving the port of Odessa under an international agreement that will ease the impact of the global food crisis.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, the European Union and Russia welcomed the departure of the first Ukrainian grain shipment.
In detail, Ukrainian and Turkish officials said that a ship carrying grain left the Ukrainian port of Odessa for Lebanon yesterday, under a safe passage agreement, to be the first ship to leave a port in Ukraine since the Russian war against it, which caused the halt of shipping traffic in the Black Sea five months ago.
"Day of relief for the world, especially for countries threatened by food crises and hunger due to shipment disruptions, and to our friends in the Middle East, Asia and Africa with the departure of the first Ukrainian grain shipments from Odessa after months of the Russian blockade," Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on Twitter.
"Today, Ukraine, together with its partners, is taking another step towards preventing world hunger," Ukrainian Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kobrakov said on Facebook yesterday.
The minister added that another 16 ships were already waiting at the Black Sea ports at the time of their departure.
Ukrainian presidential officials said that there are 17 cargo ships anchored in the Black Sea ports, with loads of about 600,000 tons, mostly grain.
Earlier yesterday, Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said that the Sierra Leone-flagged ship Razoni had left the port of Odessa towards the port of Tripoli in Lebanon. On its way to its destination after inspections will take place in Istanbul.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres "warmly" welcomed the departure of the first ship, expressing hope that the resumption of Ukraine's grain exports would bring "necessary stability and assistance to world food security."
The World Food Program plans to buy, load and ship 30,000 tons of wheat from Ukraine, on a UN chartered vessel.
The Kremlin also welcomed the sailing of the first ship. "As for the departure of the first ship, this is very positive," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
A good opportunity to test the effectiveness of the mechanisms that have been agreed upon.”
As for the European Union, it called for the "full implementation" of the agreement reached in Istanbul to resume Ukrainian exports, said the spokesman for its Foreign Minister Josep Borrell.
"This is a very important and welcome first step, and we look forward to the full implementation of the agreement," said federation spokesman Peter Stano.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg thanked Turkey for its “pivotal role” in finalizing the agreement.
The US embassy in Kyiv welcomed the resumption of shipping, saying, "The world will watch the continued implementation of this agreement."
Despite the relief in grain shipments, the war is still raging on the ground in other places.
Donetsk region's governor, Pavlo Kirilenko, said three civilians were killed in Russian shelling in the region, including two in Bakhmut and a third in nearby Soledar.
Kharkiv Governor Ole Senegubov said the Russian strikes also targeted Kharkiv, Ukraine's second largest city near the border with Russia.
Kyiv:
"The resumption of grain exports is a breakthrough for the world."
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