Russia again blocked 50 ships carrying urgently needed Ukrainian grain in the Black Sea
Russia has “once again” blocked 50 ships carrying “urgently needed” Ukrainian grain in the Black Sea, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell said on Apr. 17, 2023. He added that the bloc would “continue facilitating exports through the EU Solidarity Lanes” on Ukraine-EU land borders, which “have brought 25 billion tons of grain to the world.”
After starting its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia blocked Ukrainian ports on the Black Sea, hindering Ukraine from exporting its grain and forcing Kyiv to do that overland through neighboring countries. Earlier the same day, Ukraine’s Infrastructure Ministry reported that Russia had blocked inspections of ships transporting Ukrainian grain in Turkey’s waters for the second time, endangering the functioning of the “grain deal.”
