First Grain Ships Arrive Using New Route to Ukraine

Two cargo ships have arrived at a Ukrainian port after traveling through the Black Sea using a new route, Ukrainian port authorities said.

BBC News reported the vessels reached Chornomorsk on September 16, and were due to load 20,000 tonnes of wheat bound for Egypt and Israel. 

Officials said it was the first time civilian ships had reached a Ukrainian port since the collapse of a UN-backed deal with Russia ensuring the safety of vessels traveling to and from Ukraine. Previously the corridor had only been used by ships departing from Ukraine.

Deputy Prime Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov said the ships — Resilient Africa and Aroyat — sailed flying the flag of the Oceanic island nation of Palau and that their crew consisted of people from Ukraine, Turkey, Azerbaijan and Egypt.

In early September, the U.K. accused Russia of targeting a vessel with multiple cruise missiles as it rested in the Ukrainian port of Odesa. Russia has also increasingly targeted Ukrainian port infrastructure. In August, Russia hit numerous port and grain-terminal targets along Ukraine’s Black Sea coast and along the Danube River.

Read more: Ukrainian Naval Drones Attack Russian Black Sea Port

Kyiv has accused Russia of a "cynical" attempt to damage its grain exports and undermine global food security.