Posted on 06/08/2022 5:05:40 PM PDT by blam
At a moment global humanitarian and hunger relief groups are warning of a “catastrophe” for already vulnerable populations particularly in Africa and the Middle East which rely heavily on Ukrainian and Black Sea region grain exports, the United Nations has said it will likely take “months” to de-mine Ukraine’s ports. The war-torn country is the fourth biggest exporter of grain in the world.
Hundreds of merchant vessels had been stranded in the war’s opening months at Ukrainian ports following the Russian invasion, and still nearly 100 remain stuck along with their crews. This week a special advisor on maritime security at the UN’s International Maritime Organization told Bloomberg: “Even if the ports wanted to reopen tomorrow it would take some time until ships could enter or depart.” But it remains that before this, “Completely removing sea mines in the port areas would take several months.”
Image via Yonhap News
The de-mining issue has stalled UN-sponsored negotiations in Istanbul between Russia and Turkey to establish a ‘grain corridor’ to get the vital exports needed for much of the world’s food moving again. Kiev has charged that both the Russian naval blockade as well as Russian forces’ theft of Ukraine’s grain is the reason for the emerging global food and supply crisis, while the Kremlin has long blamed Ukraine for heavily mining its own ports.
Statements from the Ukrainian and Russian governments, as well as in international reports, indicate there are literally multiple thousands of mines up and down Ukraine’s coast. For this reason, Ukrainian government officials have estimated that if it started demining efforts now, it would take a whopping six months to clear the coast of Ukrainian and Russian mines, as cited in The Guardian.
In his latest statements, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said the onus is on the Ukrainian side:
“We state daily that we’re ready to guarantee the safety of vessels leaving Ukrainian ports and heading for the (Bosphorus) gulf, we’re ready to do that in cooperation with our Turkish colleagues,” he said after talks with his Turkish counterpart.
“To solve the problem, the only thing needed is for the Ukrainians to let vessels out of their ports, either by demining them or by marking out safe corridors, nothing more is required.”
Ukraine has rejected this narrative or that it bears responsibility for placing mines in the face of an invading power. The standoff and firm words on Wednesday strongly suggesting there’s no resolution to the crisis in sight.
“Freight and insurance costs spiked after several merchant ships were hit in the early days of Russia’s invasion, and some shipping companies are still avoiding the Black Sea,” Bloomberg details of a still dangerous situation for Black Sea shipping. “Three mines were detected free-floating in March, two off the coast of Turkey and one near Romania. In the northwest of the Black Sea near Ukraine, commercial ships have stopped operating,” the report adds.
In terms of estimated numbers, there were initially 2,000 commercial ships stuck at Ukrainian ports – but in recent weeks this is down to over 80 international ships which represent some 450 crew members.
Most of Ukraine and Russian grain exports originate at these 9 ports. Russian exports have largely resumed.
But again, even if a deal between Russia and Ukraine to lift the blockade were struck tomorrow, the presence of mines would make it unsafe for commercial maritime traffic:
According to the UN, Russia and Ukraine supply about 40% of the wheat consumed in Africa, where prices have already risen by about 23%.
However, Markiyan Dmytrasevych, an adviser to Ukraine’s minister of agrarian policy and food, said on Tuesday that even if Russia lifted its blockade, thousands of mines would remain floating around the port of Odesa, and elsewhere.
Meanwhile, spokesman for the World Food Programme, Petroc Wilton, told Sky News on Wednesday that an already bad situation is about to get a lot worse. “Food prices were already going really, really high,” he said, and explained: “The concern now is that Ukraine is making these things worse, but also because of the impact that the Ukraine crisis is having on aviation fuel costs, (and) is having on international shipping costs.”
He emphasized: “So the real concern right now is that Ukraine will make an already dire situation so much worse.”
Why would Ukraine remove the mines that they laid? After all, it doesn’t affect THEIR food supply, nor the food supply of the Neocons.
The mining violates international law.
“ The mining violates international”
Correct. Send an email to Zelensky. He had the mines installed. I’m sure he will take care of it!
Screw the Africans.
I’m more worried about the rice production in California.
Cut off by the Democrat Eco-nuts, to save some fish that aren’t even native to the area.
“...while the Kremlin has long blamed Ukraine for heavily mining its own ports.”
Is this not established fact?
Only the Ukes had access to mine the ports. Ukes used old stock with unreliable tethers, then failed to map the mined locations. Why would they fail to keep records of their mine locations? Unless, of course, it was a foregone conclusion the russkies would take the ports so they ‘poisoned the well’ to blockade all shipping, by whatever nation, thus ensuring famine well beyond the war zone.
Whats the delay (up) in wheat prices?
For a price.
The Bloomberg: Russia's Sea Mines Tee Up Months of Work to Clear Ukraine Ports
U.S. News & World Report: Lavrov Says Onus Is on Ukraine to De-Mine Ports to Allow Grain Shipments
Russia laid the mines and is refusing to clear them while saying the will allow Ukraine to trade. This is why Ukraine wants weapons to protect its sea routes. Russia has shown repeatedly during this conflict its word means nothing.
The Ukrainian government seems to be dragging its feet on clearing the mines.
They need to get to it and get it done immediately.
Sorry, won’t believe anything from the Western Media.
If you can find something from a source which is CREDIBLE, I’ll look at it.
Is that a war crime?
“The Ukrainian government seems to be dragging its feet on clearing the mines. They need to get to it and get it done immediately.”
Why should they, when they’ve got the Western Media falsely claiming that the Russians laid the mines?
“Is that a war crime?”
It’s only a war crime when the Western Media says so...and per the media it is IMPOSSIBLE for Ukrainians to commit war crimes.
Invading another country violates international law.
Even if the Ukrainian government wants to disavow culpability for mining the area, they still need to take responsibility for clearing the mines.
It is a trade route, not a Real Housewives episode.
The stupidity of Stupid Action A is not a justification for the stupidity of Stupid Action B.
Because the US deep state and Biden's political controllers tell them to.
Inflation is far more dangerous to their power than Russia is.
The Ukrainian government seems to be dragging its feet on clearing the mines.
They need to get to it and get it done immediately.
———
With what? Vlad sunk all of the corrupted little beggars ships early on. They have no capability….maybe they can hire Vlad’s Navy to clear the Ukie mines they laid….no idea, but it was just reported Vlad made $65 billion this month ( another record- how’s those Sanctions working you fools?) in oil sales- he doesn’t need their corrupted dollars.
More stirrings of the little beggar wanting a cease fire, but Boris Johnson nixed the deal, ( rumored deal: Vlad stops hostilities BUT gets to keep his winnings, Donbass provinces, land bridge to Crimea)…however the hard liners in Moscow want Odessa to.
In either case, not looking good for tge Ukie war cheerleaders.
And Vlad says Checkmate, again.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.