Black Sea safe route: What expert says about first ship leaving Odesa 

He spoke about this on Espreso TV.

The 1st Rank Captain of the Ukrainian Navy Reserve commented on the departure of the first ship from the port of Odesa on August 16 after Russia announced the termination of the grain deal.

"There is now such cautious optimism that a safe way has been found from the ports of Odesa: Chornomorsk, Odesa and Pivdennyi. This means that it is possible to resume shipping through the territorial waters of Ukraine, Romania, Bulgaria, and Turkey to the Bosphorus. This first bulk carrier was moving within these territorial waters," explained Sonata's strategic expert.

Andriy Ryzhenko noted that the main challenge for ships in the Black Sea is Ukrainian territorial waters, where there is a mine danger and the threat of Russian aircraft and ships.

"I assume that the vessel that left the port of Odesa on August 16 is already approaching the Black Sea. I watched, the ship passed without any obstacles within the territorial waters of Ukraine. It should be added that the main communication routes between our ports and the Bosphorus Strait are internationally defined, but remain blocked. Let's hope that this way will continue to work," Ryzhenko summarized.

What is known about the "grain corridor" operation

On July 17, Russia announced the termination of the grain deal. In response, Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that it was necessary to continue using the grain corridor even despite Russia's withdrawal from the agreement. And Kuleba began urgent consultations at the UN.

On July 30, despite the completion of the grain deal, three civilian cargo ships of foreign origin passed the Russian blockade in the Black Sea and anchored in one of Ukraine's grain ports in the Danube Delta.

On August 4, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine Oleksiy Danilov said that Ukraine would send ships with its own grain to wherever it deems necessary and would not ask anyone for permission.

On August 10, the Ukrainian Navy announced a temporary humanitarian corridor for merchant ships sailing to and from Ukrainian ports. These routes will be used primarily to allow civilian vessels that have been in the Ukrainian ports of Chornomorsk, Odesa, and Pivdennyi since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion to leave.

On August 12, Ukraine opened the registration of merchant ships and their owners who are ready to use temporary routes to Ukrainian ports in the Black Sea.

On July 16, the last ship loaded with Ukrainian agricultural products under the initiative left the port of Odesa.