The United States has information that the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation received an order to effectively block Ukrainian ports of Odessa and Ochakov. According to The Guardian, referring to officials and declassified intelligence data, the Russian Navy was ordered to put mines in the ports of Odessa and Ochakovo and already mined the Dnieper River.
Intelligence claims that this is part of the Russian blockade of grain export, which threatens to provoke global hunger.
The USA says that their intelligence indicates a coordinated Russian strategy to cut off the section of the coast under the control of Ukraine.
“The United States has information that the Black Sea Fleet received an order to effectively block Ukrainian ports Odessa and Ochakov,” said the US official.
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Russia denies the installation of mines around the Black Sea ports and accuses Kyiv, stating that Ukrainians mined their own ports.
“We can confirm that, despite the public statements of Russia that it does not minute the northwestern part of the Black Sea, Russia actually places mines in the Black Sea near Ochakov. We also have data that Russian troops previously mined the Dnieper River … The influence of Russia’s actions, which led to the cessation of sea trade in the North Third Black Sea and made this region unsafe for shipping, cannot be underestimated, since the sea exports of Ukraine are vital for global food security, ”the official said.
He also noted that Ukraine supplies a tenth of the world exports of wheat, and about 95% of this export leaves the country through the Black Sea ports.
“The image (satellite images – UNIAN) clearly shows that the Russian invasion of Ukraine led to the destruction of three elevators, as well as the conveyor system loading grain on the vessels. Due to the attack of Russia, the export capacities of the grain terminal were reduced by at least a third” – said the representative of the USA.