That is according to a latest the U.K. Defense Ministry’s Defense Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine.
"On 17 July 2023, Russia failed to renew its involvement in the Black Sea Grain Initiative. This effectively nullified the security agreement which, despite the war, had ensured the safe passage of vessels exporting grain from Ukraine. Russia is aiming to deter all merchant shipping from Ukrainian ports," the intelligence update reminds.
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According to the U.K. Defense Ministry’s Defense Intelligence, russia likely made the decision to quit the Black Sea grain deal “some time ago because it decided that the deal was no longer serving its interests”.
"Russia has masked this with disinformation, claiming its withdrawal is instead due to concerns that civilian ships are at risk from Ukrainian mines and that Ukraine was making military use of the grain corridor without providing evidence for these claims," the update states.
It added that Russia’s Black Sea fleet (BSF) would now likely take a more active role in disrupting any trade that continues. "However BSF blockade operations will be at risk from Ukrainian uncrewed surface vehicles and coastal defense cruise missiles,” the U.K. Defense Intelligence concludes.
It should be noted, that from July 21, 2023, all ships on the Black Sea heading to russian ports and Ukrainian ports in the Ukrainian territory temporarily occupied by russia could be considered by Ukraine as potential carriers of military equipment with all the relevant risks.
The Ukrainian Defense Ministry's press service just has said this in a statement posted to Telegram.
"The russian federation has once again brutally violated the universal right of the whole world to free navigation and is deliberately undermining food security, condemning millions of people to starvation. By openly threatening civilian ships transporting food from Ukrainian ports, launching missile attacks and drone attacks on civilian infrastructure in peaceful cities, deliberately creating a military threat on trade routes, the Kremlin has turned the Black Sea into a danger zone, first and foremost, for russian ships and ships heading on the Black Sea to russian seaports and Ukrainian seaports located in the Ukrainian territory temporarily occupied by russia. The responsibility for all risks lies entirely with the russian leadership," the statement said.
The ministry said the fate of the Moskva missile cruiser proves that Ukraine's defense forces have the necessary means to repel russian aggression at sea. The Ukrainian Defense Ministry warned that from 00:00 on July 21, 2023, Ukraine would consider all vessels of the occupying country on the Black Sea as potential carriers of military cargo.
Earlier the russian Defense Ministry declared that, as of July 20, all vessels sailing to Ukrainian ports will be considered military targets.
As media reports, russia pulled out of the Black Sea Grain Initiative on July 17, sparking international condemnation and fears of rising food prices. The deal, brokered by Turkey and the U.N. in July 2022, allowed Ukraine to export its agricultural products during the ongoing full-scale Russian invasion.
On July 19, Ukrainian authorities reported about russia’s attacks on port infrastructure in Odesa. The city suffered three consecutive strikes over the course of the past three days, two of which were combined attacks that included different tipes of missiles as well as Shahed type kamikaze drones.
As Defense Express told on How Naval Drones At a Price of $250,000 Would Help Ukraine Attack russia’s Kalibr Cruise Missiles' Carriers, Protect Grain Corridor. We also wrote that the UK Defense Intelligence Said russia’s Military Leadership were Facing an Increasing Problems
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