Russia has temporarily suspended the movement of vessels through the Azov-Don Canal following Ukrainian attacks on Russian ships in the Sea of Azov. This could affect nearly a quarter of Russia's wheat exports. This is reported by Reuters citing sources, UNN reports.
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Russia has temporarily suspended navigation through the Azov-Don Canal, a navigable waterway connecting the Don River to the Sea of Azov. This step came after Ukraine's attack on 13 Russian vessels in the Sea of Azov on Friday, including 10 tankers. Market analysts note that up to a quarter of wheat exports from Russia, the world's largest grain exporter, pass through the Sea of Azov
One source reported that Russian border guards informed shipping companies that all requests for passage through the Kerch Strait, which connects the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea, would not be accepted from 6:10 PM local time on Friday. The border guards are subordinate to the FSB security service. The notice did not specify when the ban would be lifted.
Russia's leading grain regions, Rostov and Krasnodar, are located along the Sea of Azov. The country's second-largest port in the Black Sea region is located in the Kerch Strait.
Ukraine has recently intensified attacks on Russian oil refineries, causing fuel shortages across the country. Many analysts and international organizations warn of risks to global grain trade due to the war in Ukraine, as the Black Sea is used by both Ukraine and Russia for grain exports, although there have been no serious disruptions to grain trade during the four and a half years of conflict
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