Conflict Spreads to Maritime Domain, Russia and Ukraine Target Each Other's Shipping

[Global Times Special Correspondent in Russia, Xiao Xinxin] The conflict between Russia and Ukraine is increasingly expanding into the maritime domain as both sides intensify attacks on each other's port infrastructure and various vessels in the Black Sea and Sea of Azov. According to the Ukrainian News Agency, the Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority reported on the 20th that an international cargo ship was attacked by three Russian cruise missiles in the Black Sea near the port of Odesa on the 19th, resulting in 10 deaths. Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Serhiy Kyslytsya described Russia's actions as "terrorist acts." The Ukrainian unmanned systems forces stated on the 20th that from the night of the 19th to the early morning of the 20th, Ukraine attacked five Russian cargo ships and five oil tankers in the Black Sea and Sea of Azov. Meanwhile, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported on the 20th that from the night of the 19th to the early morning of the 20th, Russian forces continued to strike oil and gas facilities in the southern Ukrainian port of Odesa.

The Russian Ministry of Defense reported on the 20th that from the night of the 19th to the early morning of the 20th, Russian forces used air-based precision-guided weapons and cruise missiles to strike fuel and oil storage tanks at the port of Odesa. According to data cited by the Russian news agency TASS on the 19th, Russia has struck at least 37 Ukrainian cargo ships, container ships, oil tankers, and other vessels in the Black Sea and other waters over the past week.

According to a previous report by Reuters, over four years since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the export of agricultural products such as grain and vegetable oil remains Ukraine's largest source of foreign exchange income, with over 90% of export products transported through three ports in Odesa Oblast. In recent weeks, Russia has significantly intensified attacks on Ukraine's Black Sea coastal port infrastructure and cargo ships exporting grain and other agricultural products to the ports of Odesa Oblast. The Ukrainian Agrarian Council, a major farmers' union, stated that due to the intensified Russian missile and drone attacks, Ukraine's capacity to export grain through its Black Sea coastal ports has decreased by about one-third. As of the 15th of this month, four of Ukraine's 13 major grain export terminals have suspended grain trading.

According to the Ukrainian News Agency, Ukrainian Prime Minister Shmyhal stated on the 19th that the Ukrainian government is working with the military to develop solutions to enhance shipping security and help protect civilian vessels and sailors from Russian attacks.

Additionally, according to the Financial Times, since the beginning of this month, Ukraine has also continued to increase its attacks on Russian vessels in the Black Sea and Sea of Azov to disrupt the fuel and logistical supply lines necessary for Russia's military operations in southern Ukraine and Crimea. The Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization, Kitack Lim, condemned the attacks on vessels in the Sea of Azov on the 13th, stating that such actions endanger the safety of seafarers, threaten navigational safety, disrupt global supply chains, and undermine the principles upon which international shipping relies.

The commander of the Ukrainian unmanned systems forces, Bravchuk, stated on social media on the 20th that in the first 20 days of this month, Ukraine has struck a total of 183 Russian "shadow fleet" vessels, including oil tankers, in the Black Sea and Sea of Azov, and has targeted 103 energy facility nodes in the Crimea region, with the Kerch ferry capacity having lost 75% due to Ukrainian attacks.

Due to the attacks by Ukrainian forces, Russia has recently suspended shipping on the Don River–Sea of Azov Canal. The Russian Ministry of Agriculture recently issued a statement saying it is working with relevant agencies and the business community to develop alternative transport routes. The Russian Ministry of Transport also stated that it is taking all necessary measures to ensure smooth cargo logistics and may use other transport methods if necessary.

Reuters mentioned that as the world's largest wheat exporter, up to one-quarter of Russia's wheat exports must pass through the Sea of Azov. Russia's main grain-producing regions, Rostov Oblast and Krasnodar Krai, are both located along the Sea of Azov, and Russia's second-largest port in the Black Sea is also located in the Kerch Strait. Many analysts and international organizations have warned that the Russia-Ukraine conflict could pose risks to global food trade, as the Black Sea is a crucial export route for grain from both Russia and Ukraine.

According to reports from AFP, the Ukrainian News Agency, and others, as the maritime conflict between Russia and Ukraine intensifies, the safety of civilian vessels navigating in the relevant waters and the export of grain may be further affected. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, during his visit to Kyiv on the 16th, stated that the Russia-Ukraine conflict should not spread to the Black Sea. The security of the Black Sea waters is under threat, and the risk of escalation of the conflict is increasing. Attacks on ports, oil tankers, and fishing boats, which threaten civilian lives, are unacceptable.