A number of cargo ships have been stuck in the Black Sea since the beginning of the Russia-Ukraine War in February last year (Picture: Getty Images/AFP)
Civilian ships may be next on Russia’s list of targets – and will likely blame Ukraine for the destruction, the British government has warned.
Intelligence officials said last month that the Kremlin’s attempted missile strike against a cargo ship in the Black Sea last month is only the beginning.
Russia may continue to strike non-military ships carrying essentials such as grains by laying sea mines near ports, the Foreign Office revealed today.
Citing declassified intelligence, the department said: ‘Russia almost certainly wants to avoid openly sinking civilian ships, instead falsely laying blame on Ukraine for any attacks against civilian vessels in the Black Sea.’
‘By releasing our assessment of this intelligence, the UK seeks to expose Russia’s tactics to deter any such incident from occurring.’
The Black Sea is bounded by Russia, Ukraine, Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania and Georgia.
Odesa, a port city in southern Ukraine, has become a common target of Russian attacks (Picture: EPA)
Ukraine in August pitched to the UN’s International Maritime Organization (IMO) as a ‘humanitarian corridor’, allowing ships stuck in ports to safely cross.
Ukraine’s navy said yesterday it expects a dozen cargo vessels to pass through, an increase in the usual level of maritime traffic in the corridor.
But this sliver of sea is now on Vladimir Putin’s radar as he seeks to ‘deter the export of Ukrainian grain’, the Home Office said.
Foreign secretary James Cleverly added: ‘Russia’s pernicious targeting of civilian shipping in the Black Sea demonstrates Putin’s total disregard for civilian lives and the needs of the world’s most vulnerable.
‘The world is watching – and we see right through Russia’s cynical attempts to lay blame on Ukraine for their attacks. We and our allies stand united against Putin and his attempts to harm Ukraine and thus harm the rest of the world.’
‘Aggression’ is key to Russia’s strategy in the Black Sea, the Home Office said.
And they have their reasons. Some 22,000,000 tonnes of grain remains stuck within its borders amid a wartime blockade.
James Cleverly said the tactic ‘demonstrates Putin’s total disregard for civilian lives’ (Picture: James Veysey/Shutterstock)
Ukraine is a major producer of grain and other foodstuffs, so an agreement was hashed out to ensure it can export its crops by sea despite the blocking.
The deal, known as the Black Sea Grain Initiative and brokered by the United Nations and Turkey, expired in July.
Moments later, Russia pulled out of the deal – a move which shook global food prices and threatened the lives of those facing hunger as well as shoppers already hard-hit by the cost of living crisis.
British officials believe the Russian president’s call to rip up the agreement destroyed 300,000 tonnes of grain enough to feed 1,300,000 people.
Since then, the Home Office said, Moscow has increasingly targeted Ukrainian ports and civilian infrastructure, including 130 harbours in Odesa, Chornomorsk and Reni.
The department said: ‘We are working with Ukraine and other partners to put in place arrangements to improve the safety of shipping. Our advice to British shipping has not changed – the UK’s maritime security level for Ukrainian ports and waters remains at the highest level due to the threat posed by Russia.
Huge quantities of grain remain stuck in the Black Sea (Picture: Getty)
‘The UK has put in place intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities to monitor Russian activity in the Black Sea. These capabilities will help us to attribute and call out any further Russian attacks on civilian shipping or infrastructure.
‘We are committed to ensuring Ukraine can continue to export its agricultural produce through all appropriate routes including its ‘humanitarian corridor’, overland and via the Danube.
‘The UK will continue to work with Ukraine and a range of international partners to achieve this.’
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