Crimea locals say tourists are leaving, Ukraine's supporters activate

Kateryna Yaresko, a journalist with the SeaKrime project at the Peacemaker Center, says Crimean residents report that tourists depart, and supporters of Ukraine become more active 

She said this on Espreso TV. 

“Tourists have disappeared from Sevastopol - locals say so, and we also saw traffic jams on the Kerch Bridge. And there is also tension because they realize that it is serious, but there are many people who pretend that it does not concern them. It is also good that people who support Ukraine have become more active,” Yaresko said.

The UN is probably trying to interest Turkey in facilitating the extension of the grain deal

The journalist noted that life goes on in the Black Sea, there are still ships that go to and from Odesa ports under the grain deal, but there are much fewer of them.

“In Sevastopol, ships are being loaded with stolen Ukrainian grain, we think,” she added. 

She also added that, in her opinion, “the UN is very interested in the grain deal continuing.” Yaresko believes that this is an effective project for them, and they are interested in it.

“There is even information that the UN has proposed to Turkey that payments for the grain deal will be made through a certain Turkish bank, meaning that the UN wants to solve this problem and is interested in Turkey. If there were no elections in Turkey, the situation would be more stable there, but it's hard for me to say how the elections will affect this agreement. I think Erdogan is interested in continuing this agreement, but everything, as always, rests on Russia's position,” she said.