Russia has temporarily suspended vessel traffic through the Kerch Strait and the Don-Azov Canal following drone attacks in the Sea of Azov. Reuters reported this, citing three sources in the grain export sector.
According to one of those sources, Russian border services informed shipping companies that from 6:10 p.m. local time on Friday, July 10, they would no longer accept new applications to pass through the Kerch Strait, which connects the Sea of Azov with the Black Sea.
Reuters notes that up to a quarter of Russia’s wheat exports pass through the Sea of Azov. After reports that the area had been closed to bulk carriers, wheat prices on Euronext rose by almost 4% the previous day, reaching their highest level in six weeks.
Reports of attacks
The agency says Ukrainian drones began carrying out large-scale attacks on tankers in the Sea of Azov this week. Rostov region governor Yury Slyusar said that on the night of July 11, a “crewman of a technical vessel” was killed in Taganrog Bay and that, according to him, no one was injured.
Slyusar said that four vessels of various types were attacked in total, including one tanker carrying methanol.
The commander of Ukraine’s drone forces, Robert Brovdi, for his part, said that 28 vessels were hit overnight in the Sea of Azov: 21 tankers, 4 tugboats, 2 bulk carriers and 1 special-purpose craft. According to him, 76 vessels have been attacked there since the start of the week.