US State Department responds to Russia's provocation with cargo ship in Black Sea

Deputy State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said this at a briefing.

The incident occurred on the morning of August 13. The Russian Ministry of Defense reported that the Russian Black Sea Fleet was conducting "warning fire" to stop and check the dry cargo ship Sukru Okan, which was heading to the port of Izmail. The Ukrainian side was unable to confirm this information.

"Russia has publicly announced that all ships proceeding to Ukrainian ports in Black Sea waters will be considered potential – as potential carriers of military cargo. This is, in our view, an unacceptable escalation that again demonstrates Moscow’s responsibility for grain not reaching the places where it needs to go," said the deputy spokesman.

He recalled that, according to the Ukrainian side, Russia has attacked 26 port infrastructure facilities and destroyed more than 220,000 tons of grain since the termination of the grain deal.

"We’re continuing to monitor this situation carefully, and we of course are concerned that Russia’s military may expand their targeting of Ukrainian grain facilities to include attacks against civilian ships in the Black Sea," Patel said.

He emphasized that Russia "should rejoin the Black Sea Grain Initiative immediately ". This will help stabilize world food prices, Patel said.

Russia's termination of the grain deal: what is known

On 17 July, 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. 

On July 30, despite the ‘grain deal’ termination, 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.