Huge relief as two more grain ships leave Ukraine

Two more ships carrying grain have left Ukraine's Chornomorsk port, Turkey's Defence Ministry said on Saturday, bringing the total number of vessels to leave Ukraine's Black Sea ports under a UN-brokered grain export deal to 27.

The Zumrut Ana and MV Ocean S, which are authorised to depart on Aug.20, were loaded with 6,300 tonnes of sunflower oil and 25,000 tonnes of wheat respectively, the joint coordination centre set up to enable safe passage said in a statement.

Ukraine's Sea Ports Authority said three Ukrainian seaports had begun loading food onto seven ships, which would deliver 66,500 tonnes of wheat, corn and sunflower oil to consumers.

Ukraine's grain exports have slumped since the start of the war because its Black Sea ports - a vital route for shipments - were closed, driving up global food prices and prompting fears of shortages in Africa and the Middle East.

At the end of July, three Black Sea ports were unblocked under a deal between Moscow and Kyiv, brokered by the United Nations and Turkey.

The Authority said on Facebook the port of Chornomorsk had moored the bulk carriers Andan Toplak, Filyoz and Maranta, while Odesa port had begun loading the Ganosaya and Kubrosli Y.

Bulk carrier Mohamad Y is waiting its turn, as well as the tanker Foyle, which is standing at the port of Pivdennyi.

The Authority said Ukrainian-origin food would be delivered to France, Sudan, Turkey and the Netherlands.

Ukraine's Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov said on Friday a further ten cargo ships were being loaded with grain in Ukrainian Black Sea ports and being prepared for shipment.

He said 25 ships had already been dispatched from the three Ukrainian ports, with 630,000 tonnes of agricultural products on board.

Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Saturday that Russian fertilisers and agricultural products must be able reach world markets "unimpeded" or a global food crisis could strike as early as next year.

"It is important that all governments and the private sector cooperate to bring them to market," he said from the Joint Coordination Center (JCC).

The JCC oversees the implementation of the Ukrainian grain export agreement signed in July by Kyiv and Moscow with the UN and Turkey as guarantors.

The agreement also guarantees Russia the right to export its agricultural products and fertilisers despite Western sanctions.

"What we see here in Istanbul and in Odessa is only the more visible part of the solution. The other part of this package deal is the unimpeded access to the global markets of Russian food and fertiliser, which are not subject to sanctions," Guterres said, adding that despite this, Russian fertiliser and agricultural exports still faced "obstacles."

"Without fertiliser in 2022, there may not be enough food in 2023. Getting more food and fertiliser out of Ukraine and Russia is crucial to further calm commodity markets and lower prices for consumers," he said.

Guterres travelled this week to Ukraine, where he met with the presidents of Ukraine and Turkey, Volodymyr Zelensky and Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in the western city of Lviv on Thursday.

He headed to the southern city of Odessa on Friday.

Earlier Saturday, he visited the first aid ship chartered by the United Nations to transport Ukrainian grain on the southern shores of Istanbul in the Sea of Marmara.

On the war front, Russian authorities on Saturday reported shooting down Ukrainian drones in Crimea, while Ukrainian officials said Russian forces pressed ahead with efforts to seize one of the few cities in eastern Ukraine not already under their control and kept up their strikes on communities in the north and south.

Russia's defence ministry accused Ukraine on Saturday of poisoning some of its servicemen in the Russian-controlled part of Ukraine's southeastern region of Zaporizhzhia in late July.

Agencies