Russia Rejected Ukraine's Proposal For A Ceasefire In The Black Sea

Zakharova articulated Moscow's position.

Moscow “sees no reason” to agree to ceasefire with Ukraine in the Black Sea, said Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova. She was responding to a question about whether the Russian side had received Turkey’s proposal for a moratorium on military operations at sea and whether it was prepared to consider such an option. Zakharova noted that Russia regularly faces “unrestrained acts of terrorism committed by Ukrainian Armed Forces drones” against civilian vessels. “At the same time, we see no signs of the situation improving and, consequently, no grounds for half-measures that merely give the Kyiv regime a temporary respite,” — said the Foreign Ministry spokesperson.

The day before, Reuters reported that Ukraine, through an intermediary, had sent Russia a proposal for a mutual cessation of attacks on civilian targets in the Black Sea, but had not yet received a response. Prior to that, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan called on the Russian and Ukrainian sides to establish a mechanism for a ceasefire in the Black Sea. Ankara has also drawn up a plan calling for the creation of two separate safety corridors for commercial vessels bound for Russia and Ukraine. The parties could thereby commit to refraining from striking along these routes.

In recent months, Ukraine has begun hunting down Russian ships in the Azov and Black Seas using drones. Kyiv has stated its intention to cut off supplies to the annexed Crimea and disrupt oil exports by tankers of the “shadow fleet.” In addition, the Ukrainian military has struck terminals of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) and ships carrying Kazakhstani oil, as well as grain terminals in Novorossiysk.

In response, Russia began striking ports in the Odesa region and civilian vessels calling at them, including foreign ones. The strikes were carried out with ballistic missiles, against which Ukraine’s air defense system has no protection due to a shortage of interceptors for the Patriot system. In June and July, according to Ukrainian authorities, the Russian military attacked at least 50 cargo ships, resulting in the deaths of more than 30 people.

As a result, Russian grain exports through terminals on the Black and Azov Seas fell by 22.8% year-over-year in July to 1.8 million metric tons, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters. Ukrainian grain exports for the first two weeks of August, according to the agency, plummeted by 75% year-over-year. Economists estimate that a complete shutdown of Black Sea ports could cost Ukraine 1–1.5% of its GDP.

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