A Russian warship on Sunday fired warning shots at a cargo ship in the southwestern Black Sea as it made its way northwards, the first time Russia has fired on merchant shipping beyond Ukraine since exiting a landmark U.N.-brokered grain deal last month.
Russia in July halted participation in the Black Sea grain deal that allowed Ukraine to export agricultural produce via the Black Sea and Moscow cautioned that it deemed all ships heading to Ukrainian waters to be potentially carrying weapons.
Russia said in a statement that its Vasily Bykov patrol ship had fired automatic weapons on the Palau-flagged Sukru Okan vessel after the ship's captain failed to respond to a request to halt for an inspection.
Russia said the vessel was making its way towards the Ukrainian port of Izmail. Refinitiv shipping data showed the ship was currently near the coast of Bulgaria and heading towards the Romanian port of Sulina.
"To forcibly stop the vessel, warning fire was opened from automatic weapons," the Russian defense ministry said.
The Russian military boarded the vessel with the help of a Ka-29 helicopter, the ministry said.
"After the inspection group completed its work on board, the Sukru Okan continued on its way to the port of Izmail," the defense ministry said.
A Turkish defense ministry official said he had heard an incident had taken place involving a ship heading for Romania, and that Ankara was looking into it.
A senior adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, wrote on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, that the incident was a "clear violation of international law of the sea, an act of piracy and a crime against civilian vessels of a third country in the waters of other states."
The adviser, Mykhailo Podolyak, added, "Ukraine will draw all the necessary conclusions and choose the best possible response."
Reuters could not immediately reach the vessel or its owners for comment.
BLACK SEA AT WAR?
Firing on a merchant vessel will ratchet up already acute concerns among shipowners, insurers and commodity traders about the potential dangers of getting ensnared in the Black Sea - the main route that both Ukraine and Russia use to get their agricultural produce to market.
Russia and Ukraine are two of the world's top agricultural producers, and major players in the wheat, barley, maize, rapeseed, rapeseed oil, sunflower seed and sunflower oil markets. Russia is also dominant in the fertiliser market.
Since Russia left the Black Sea grain deal, both Moscow and Kyiv have issued warnings and carried out attacks that have sent jitters through global commodity, oil and shipping markets.
Russia has said it will treat any ships approaching Ukrainian ports as potential military vessels, and their flag countries as combatants on the Ukrainian side. Russia also struck Ukrainian grain facilities on the Danube.
Ukraine responded with a similar threat to ships approaching Russian or Russian-held Ukrainian ports. Ukraine also attacked a Russian oil tanker and a warship at its Novorossiysk naval base, next door to a major grain and oil port.
Ukraine and the West say Russia's steps amount to a de-facto blockade of Ukrainian ports that threatens to cut off the flow of wheat and sunflower seeds from Ukraine to world markets.
Russia dismisses that interpretation and says the West failed to implement a parallel agreement easing rules for its own food and fertiliser exports.
© Thomson Reuters 2023.
60 Comments
ok1517
"Refinitiv shipping data showed the ship was currently near the coast of Bulgaria and heading towards the Romanian port of Sulina."
Near the coast of Bulgaria - so not Russian area but international or even Bulgarian "waters"?
Another example of how Russia (PUTAin) acts! Doing their utmost to be called a terrorist state.
Besides this news, more shelling of civilian infrastructure, more killing of Ukrainian children and civilians again!
Ukraine prevails!
TaiwanIsNotChina
Absolutely savage.
TaiwanIsNotChina
In an ideal world the US navy would be there to prevent this kind of savagery, but unfortunately the Montreux convention seems to render that impossible.
Thuban
NATO member Turkey is refusing to allow the US Navy to enter the Black Sea.
Russia has free reign to inspect potential weapons smugglers.
TaiwanIsNotChina
That may be true but they also can't get their military ships out and are vulnerable to Ukrainian drones as we've seen.
Blacklabel
so now a cargo ship is a “civilian” ship.
what’s the cargo?
Haaa Nemui
Obviously nothing to cause the Russians any concern.
Blacklabel
Then what’s the problem? That they “dared” to search?
fallaffel
Of course. They fired on and forced a civilian ship from a third country to stop and be boarded. You would not think it's a problem if every ship headed for Russia was similarly stopped for no reason?
Snuggles
Russia said in a statement that its Vasily Bykov patrol ship had fired automatic weapons on the Palau-flagged Sukru Okan vessel after the ship's captain failed to respond to a request to halt for an inspection.
Why didn't the captain respond?
JJE
That area (NW BS coordinates previously published) including the Danube Delta is a declared zone.
The few small ships tried sneak into Izmail - provoked an immediate response.
All ships are considered to be moving arms or worse.
Skippers, don't risk it.
Eastmann
if captain have stopped ship nothing could happen.so blame captain.
i see no reason why to be "excited"at all...
UChosePoorly
Russian skippers too.
JJE
149.200, Volga.
Digital radio frequency (149.2 MHz).
Anyone who wishes to not fight can get on the radio and say "Volga" - free quarter will be given.
Spread the word. Save your life Slavic brothers. 100s have made the correct decision in the last 48+ hours.
UChosePoorly
JJE - Major Tomov did just this and saved many lives, but he called the Ukrainian version.
Kuku
Recently, after the withdrawal from the grain deal, the Russians have detained several ships (at least I know about two), on which traces of explosives were found. That means the civilian vessels participated in the delivery of some kind of weapons to Ukraine. In general, it would be necessary to confiscate them. Ибо нефиг
JJE
Kyiv is trying desperately to shut this down. The following is unfolding:
1) using insignificant EW capability to jam that frequency
2) making a fake video
3) pretending the conscripts don't have nationalist blocking regiments behind them
4) counter offensive is anything but a debacle
fallaffel
Or it means the Kremlin lied. That you haven't considered this possibility is surprising... the Kremlin has made some big ones in the last week or so.
EFD
One wonders just how many Russian freighters are going to be passing the Bosphoris when they have no shipping inurance due to sanctions?
Mr Kipling
No, the deal ended and Russia did not renew because Ukraine used a "civilian" ship to launch its sea drones.
Doesn't cut off but makes it a little more difficult. Not unlike the failed sanctions on Russian oil and gas.
Antiquesaving
Oh the fake outrage!
Who was the first to actually fire on and hit a civilian ship deliberately?
Ukraine! The SIG was a civilian vessel with civilian crew!
Who just announced (yes western media "omitted" to report) that Ukraine last week announced all ships civilian or military traveling in the Black sea between Crimea/Russia and Turkey are now targets? Yes Ukraine again.
So this fake outrage is a joke, Ukraine hit a civilian ship and says it will hit more civilian ships and now you people are upset because Russia is going to do the same.
Hypocrites!
Antiquesaving
You repeat this every time.
You do realize the "sanctions" on insurance have been in place since November 2022 fully implemented since at least January 2023 and guess what?
Russian ships including oil, gas etc.. have been delivering oil etc all this time.
So tell us when will this mythical no insurance thing start to take effect?
Chinese, Russian and even American insurance companies has been issuing insurance to Russian vessels, but you can keep repeating the same thing again next article.
Kuku
Tg channel of Boris Rozhin reports.
"As part of the new established practice, after finishing of the grain deal, the Russian patrol ship of the Black Sea Fleet "Vasily Bykov" (which Ukrainian propaganda virtually sank twice back in 2022) carried out a forced inspection of the vessel "Sukru Okan", which was purposefully moving in the direction of Izmail under the flag of Palau. After the crew refused to respond to warnings and ignoring commands at the entrance to the exclusion zone, a warning fire was opened, after which the crew decided not to take any more risks and began to fulfill all the requirements of Russian sailors in accordance with the norms of international maritime law.
The inspection team arrived on board the ship, conducted a check and, having made sure that there was no military contraband on board, departed back to the Vasily Bykov, after which the Sukru Okan continued going to Izmail. In this case, it was demonstrated how the control system for the passage of foreign ships to Ukrainian ports will work."
What happened?????!!! And was it worth a special article???
JJE
I dare Kyiv to hit third party flagged freighters bound for Russia's BS ports.
Double dare to hit a Chinese, Indian, South African, South American and/or NAM vessel.
Triple dare: hit the freighters transporting free grain and fertilizer to Africa and beyond.
Blacklabel
both.
Antiquesaving
Don't worry, they will and in that case they will claim it is another "false flag" by Russia, like the pipeline, Dam, Donetsk university with (USA)cluster bombs, etc..and western media will print Ukrainian government claims word for word without any independent checking.
Cards fan
What's the US got to do with Russia's warmongering?
winston
Yes civilians operating a cargo ship
It's Bosphorus a fertilizer
The article answers your questions.
Perhaps English isn't your native language
EFD
But only one has instigated war against a sovereign nation based on a BS lie.
Also, only 1 has it's flag ship sitting at the bottom of the Black Sea as a result of said war based on BS lies.
So there is that as well.
Antiquesaving
Well the coup in Ukraine for starters!
Cards fan
There was no coup for starters.
And even if there were, what does that have to do with Russian warmongering?
What, does Russia get to go invade countries and install puppet leadership if they don't like the leadership?
I guess Ukrainians don't get to be a free, self-governing country.
EFD
You're free to go "elsewehere"....
The Russians are shipping less?
Without insurance, nobody ships. Perhaps the Russians and/or the Chinese are self-insuring. However....
None of that has been going through war zones. That will have some effect. Certainly oil and gas exports are not using this routing.
The vast majority of global shipping insurance is provided by Western insurance companies. They are not insuring, so the Russians are shipping less. Through this particular channel, less is likely to mean "nil" for anything not food related in the very near future.
But no worries. The "mighty" (stifles a snigger) Russian economy (that word could also be put in quotations) will surely weather this turn of events about as well as the might Rubel has.
JJE
The guy begging for change outside of the train station has sovereignty - not those scumbags who are milking it and sacrificing their own, destroying the country and managing to lose 1/6 of territory and a quarter of the population, while demanding others pay the bill while pretending that light is at the end of the tunnel.
Antiquesaving
What do you call an armed overthrow of and elected government, the arrest of all opposition, banning of political parties and independent news?
If this was Niger we call it a coup because the new government is not pro west, but in Ukraine we say it is the "will of the people, and when a part of those people reject the new coup d'etat, they are called the bad guys.
Hypocrisy 101
EFD
blah blah blah.
The UN (as well as NATO and the rest of the world INCLUDING the PRC) sees it rather differently.
EFD
What? No Triple dog - dare?
Cards fan
That didn't happen.
Not arrest. lol Political parties aren't banned. Pro-Russian ones were following the invasion.
But again, what does any of this have to do with Russia's warmongering? Do you think it justifies invading?
winston
Bosphorus is also a brand name for a fertilizer product used for flowering and rooting.
It contains nitrogen , ammonia , phosphorus and zinc
JJE
Get your narrative straight. Deny it then openly admit it within two short sentences.
Free cookies anyone?
Antiquesaving
What double talk, you say no ban but then justify banning parties.
Here is and interesting thing for you to try.
Go to YouTube, or wherever you want, you will find plenty of videos of Russians in Russia giving their opinion on the war pro and against,
Now try to search the same thing in Ukraine, all you will find is pro not one person dares say a thing against the war and when ask the fear on their faces is clear.
JJE
Delusional is the train of thought if one has arrived at the fiction that China is taking NATO's side. This is not tragedy but comedy.
winston
That has yet to be decided
Unfortunately it looks as if Ukraine will need to cede territory to Russia .
Too early to tell as the black sea conflict isn't in full swing yet
Cards fan
Yeah, parties loyal to the country currently invading them probably shouldn't be allowed to exist.
Crazy, huh?
I don't care. How does anything you mention justify the Russian invasion? It's a simple question.
Cards fan
Hot garbage. Now you're claiming Russia is freer then Ukraine? Absurd.
stormcrow
With all of the trouble in the world today, this evil warmongering is so unnecessary.
Antiquesaving
I am always amazed at the mental gymnastics western news and many here do.
They swallow all USA/EU/UK/Ukraine narratives even when it makes zero sense.
"Russia blew up the pipeline": why? It removed a good negotiation card that Russia held, "Russia is firing on the nuclear power plant it holds": Why? It gains nothing and for some reason people still believe it is!
" Russia blew up the dam" Again why? It removed the best natural barrier Russia had in the South where Russia has very little fortified positions, and now that things have dried up we see exactly what I said was Ukrainian plan assaults in the now mostly dried up areas below the dam .
But still every time a story is put out by Ukraine the western media just like this story prints the Ukrainian government press release as if it is news and people swallow it hook line and sinker!
Cards fan
Does any of this justify Russia invading? Just answer, it's easy.
winston
Russia has other ports besides those
Russia doesn't want to leave the black sea so iam not understanding your logic
Antiquesaving
Well go to Western MSM and they are basically reporting that "Russian men of fighting age are leaving Russia" a bit of an exaggeration but also true and they are free to do so.
As in Ukraine they ban all men 18 to 60 from leaving and plenty of videos of Ukrainian press gangs forcing men into "recruitment vans" including those exempt from military duty under the law!
La vie douce
Refinitiv shipping data showed the ship was currently near the coast of Bulgaria and heading towards the Romanian port of Sulina."
Near the coast of Bulgaria - so not Russian area but international or even Bulgarian "waters"?"
Not sure you,re comprehending it correctly, .the sentence means that the ship was near Bulgaria heading to Romania when this article was published ..ie Monday ,one day after the warning shots were fired and the ship inspected which happened on Sunday. That article sentence is a bit misleading.
Cards fan
Does that justify Russia invading?
Antiquesaving
In the same way, western nations have used " National interest" " protecting their people" etc..
Will you be as vocal when France invaded Niger to secure it's uranium supply?
Cards fan
Not going to happen, but sure. Will you be just as vocal when Russia invades Ukraine? Oh, wait...
Again, does anything you've mentioned justify Russia invading?
Antiquesaving
I noticed when you have no answer you will repeat this over and over again despite having been answered on many occasions.
So do you agree with all the Anti ethnic Russian laws Ukraine has implemented?
Cards fan
Thank Russia for the tanks and troops they supplied back then.
https://www.vox.com/2014/9/3/18088560/ukraine-everything-you-need-to-know
They care so deeply about people dying there, they supplied weapons to kill. Disgusting.
La vie douce
Same as the Russian oil tanker ( privately owned and operated ) that was attacked with the sea drone then....no warning shots in that incident. '
One wonders just how many Russian freighters are going to be passing the Bosphoris when they have no shipping inurance due to sanctions?'
Perhaps you could tell us.
There was no coup for starters. - And even if there were, what does that have to do with Russian warmongering?'
Quite amusing junior. And if you dont see the connection, well, mondieu.
Cards fan
Yes, I'm sure the folks at Rusich and Wagner group are very concerned about rightwing extremism. lol
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rusich_Group
Antiquesaving
Under martial law!
Oh right you forgot to mention that part!
JJE
Hang on... back to the article and topic.
The USN and USCG (and other maritime forces) forcibly board vessels all around the world every single day., frequently with warning shots fired. Seizures and worse.
Does that constitute" a*n act of piracy and a crime against civilian vessels of a third country in the waters of other states"?*
winston
The pink elephant in the room concerning conflict in the black sea not being discussed is that Turkey and Russia are more closely affiliated than some here obviously realize
Given the recent sale of missiles from Russia to turkey delivered in 2019 and the upcoming sale of Russian new stealth fighters to Turkey in the near future it does seem entirely possible Turkey will leave NATO in the near future.
Thankfully Turkey hasn't allowed USA warships to enter the black sea as that would be catastrophic.