Turkey, a crucial player in facilitating grain exports via the Black Sea, appears to be exploring new avenues to ensure the transportation of essential foodstuff from Ukraine.
Last month, Russia decided to withdraw from a shipping agreement with Ukraine, a pact established with the assistance of Turkey and the United Nations.
Following this development, Russia has targeted Ukrainian ports and grain export infrastructure along the Black Sea coastline and the Danube River, dissuading any ships from approaching Ukraine's ports.
Since withdrawing from the shipping agreement, Russian air strikes reportedly destroyed approximately 180 000 metric tons of grain crops within just nine days last month, as reported by the Ukrainian foreign ministry.
Both Ukraine and Russia have recently warned that merchant ships heading to enemy ports may be considered potential military targets.
Nevertheless, recent data from an open-source intelligence investigator, Marcus Johnsson, reveals that six Turkish-managed ships have successfully docked at Ukrainian ports on the Danube in recent days.
Other observers of the Black Sea region suggest that the number of ships undertaking this hazardous journey may be even higher.
"These ships seem to traverse the Black Sea with impunity, disregarding the alleged threat that Russia will treat any ship, regardless of its civilian nature, heading for Ukraine as a potential target," Jonsson stated in a social media post.
To ensure safe transit, three Nato planes and a drone have been deployed.
Interestingly, the Institute for the Study of War in Washington DC pointed out that Russian forces seem hesitant or unable to forcibly intercept and search neutral vessels en route to Ukraine via the Black Sea, despite their stated intentions to do so.
In the midst of these developments, Ukraine and Croatia have reached an agreement that would allow the utilisation of Croatian ports on the Danube and the Adriatic Sea for exporting Ukrainian grain. This alternative arrangement could prove vital in sustaining essential food supplies from Ukraine.
As the situation unfolds, Turkey's involvement and the cooperation of other nations in finding solutions for the transportation of grain will continue to play a significant role in alleviating the impact of the conflict on food security in the region. SOURCE: Splash 247.
