Humanitarian routes in the Black Sea continue to function despite the termination of the "grain deal" and Russia's attempts to block the movement of ships towards Odesa ports. This was stated by the speaker of the Odesa RMA Serhiy Bratchuk during a telethon.


"The humanitarian corridor has been launched. We cannot say that the "grain initiative" is working, as there is no "grain agreement" today. Despite this, five ships left the ports of Great Odesa. It was a navigational task for the Navy, the Armed Forces of Ukraine to remove these ships, to give way to those (ships) that remained on February 24, 2022, at the beginning of the full-scale invasion (in Ukrainian ports) and were blocked," the speaker said.

The Ukrainian military successfully coped with the task of evacuating ships from the ports of Odesa, they "were able to work in the opposite direction" and ensured the movement of bulk carriers with Ukrainian agricultural products to Asia and Africa.

Bratchuk emphasized the unacceptability of agreements with the enemy and expressed hope for the sustainable functioning of the "grain deal" regardless of Russia's participation. 

"The routes have been worked out. They run through Ukrainian territorial waters, then to Romania and even further to the Bosphorus. We see what the enemy is doing when it tries to attack. Perhaps he is aiming at some facilities, port infrastructure. But we can see how our air defense forces are practicing," the speaker noted.

He also emphasized the need to improve the air defense system to ensure the operation of the "grain corridor".

"Of course, these are risks. They exist, but nevertheless (this corridor works)," Bratchuk summarized.