Three nations start a joint mine-hunting force in the Black Sea to increase shipping safety for Ukraine’s grain exports. A Russian missile strike on Kyiv and the surrounding region injures three and damages a fire station and private houses. Russia drops glide bombs on Kharkiv region, setting a school ablaze.
Three nations start joint mine-hunting force in Black Sea to increase shipping safety for Ukraine’s grain exports
Turkey, Romania and Bulgaria started a joint mine-hunting force in the Black Sea on Monday to increase shipping safety, particularly for Ukrainian grain exports, according to Bloomberg.
The Istanbul-led initiative, the first major joint action of Black Sea nations since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, is aimed at defusing mines drifting into specific areas of the Black Sea as a result of the war.
Russia and Ukraine are key producers of grain, and the war has threatened the safe passage of shipments. Kyiv launched its own Black Sea export route last year after the collapse of a safe-corridor deal backed by Russia, Turkey and the United Nations. That has successfully boosted exports and helped the economy grow faster than forecast but the route remains risky.
Last year, a Russian missile strike near the key Ukrainian port of Odesa hit a commercial ship, killing a pilot and injuring others. A ship hired by agricultural giant Cargill Inc. was also damaged by an explosion while sailing from a Ukrainian port in the Black Sea in November.
Ukraine said in March that exports from its Black Sea ports had almost returned to pre-war volumes, after repeated attacks and disruptions since Russia’s full-scale invasion. Still, ports around Odesa face frequent strikes from Russia that continue to interrupt activity.
Turkey, Romania and Bulgaria are all part of NATO. Yet their shipping force is being handled outside of NATO, in part to avoid escalating tensions with Russia.
Russian missile strike on Kyiv and surrounding region injures three, damages fire station, private houses
A Russian missile strike on Kyiv region on Sunday injured three people, including a child. Air defenses shot down all incoming targets, but missile fragments fell outside the capital, causing damage, head of the Kyiv regional military administration, Ruslan Kravchenko said.
The injured were taken to hospital where they had received all necessary treatment, he added.
The strike damaged three private houses in Kyiv region. They had windows and doors blown out, and facades cut by debris. A warehouse, several administrative buildings, some cars and a motorbike were also damaged in the attack.
The State Emergency Service of Ukraine said the strike had affected a fire station. A shock wave from a blast blew out the windows and damaged the ceiling. The firefighters were inside a shelter, and there were no casualties.
In Kyiv’s Obolon district, the city military administration said falling debris from a Russian missile started a fire and damaged balconies on a 14-story apartment building. Six residents were treated for stress.
Russia drops glide bombs on Kharkiv region, setting school ablaze
On Monday morning, Russia dropped glide bombs on a town in the Kupyansk district, in Kharkiv region. The bombs hit a school and a community house, the State Emergency Service said.
“At around 6 a.m. today, the enemy dropped aerial bombs on a town near the front line in the Kurylivska community in the Kupyansk district. [The bombs] hit an educational facility, a community house, and a neighborhood of private houses, causing damage,” the State Emergency Service in Kharkiv region said in a statement. The strike set the school ablaze. The fire covered an area of 150 square meters. Luckily, there were no casualties, the message reads.
Maritime Security Strategies for Ukraine and NATO. Ukraine in Flames #631
The safety of shipping in the Black Sea is a key issue not only for the economic security of Ukraine but also for the global food market. The authorities of Ukraine announced the creation of new sea corridors and established an insurance fund for merchant vessels. The expert community offers various options for ensuring the safety of vessels in the Black Sea in light of Russian aggression and hostilities. Watch Ukraine in Flames #631 to find out about maritime security in the conditions of the full-scale war and how Ukraine, the EU and NATO should protect themselves from Russian aggression in the Black sea.
Guests:
- Andriy Klymenko, Project Manager at the Institute of Black Sea Strategic Studies
- Bohdan Ustymenko, international lawyer
- Valeriy Chaly, Diplomat, UCMC Chair of the Board, Ambassador of Ukraine to the USA in 2015-2019