Russia continues attacks against Ukrainian ports; no naval mines spotted in the Black Sea

Odessa, Ukraine (PortSEurope) April 4, 2022 – Russian missiles strikes again hit Ukrainian Black Sea ports of Odessa and Mykolaiv/Nikolaev (on the large peninsula on the left side of the Yuzhnyi Bug River) in the early hours of April 4. Artillery shelling against the Azov Sea port of Mariupol had continued now for over a month. The Ukrainian Azov Sea’s port of Berdyansk is still occupied by invading Russian forces. On April 3, Russian missiles destroyed fuel storage facilities and damaged a refinery near Odessa in an escalation of the process of Ukraine’s ports destruction in the invasion that started on February 24. The city of Mariupol is over 80% destroyed, according to Ukrainian media. The port of Mykolaiv is heavily damaged after March 22 shelling. A free Odessa prevents Russia from establishing a land corridor to the Moldova’s breakaway region of Transdniestria, occupied by Russia 30 years ago. A free Mariupol prevents Russia from establishing a land corridor to Ukraine’s Crimea, occupied by Russia in 2014. Odessa was subjected to heavy shelling by the Russian Navy on March 21 but the attack stopped and Russian ships withdrew. Attacks against the Odessa’s port area might be the preparation for an attack from the sea, but this could be very costly for the Russian side. After facing unexpected resistance by Ukrainian forces since the start of the war on February 24, it seems that Russian army is not able to launch an attack on such strategic city as Odessa. Five Ukrainian Black Sea ports - Nikolaev, Olvia, Yuzhny, Odessa, Chernomorsk – still partially process the fleet standing at the berths and ship their cargo by rail and by road. But entry/exit of ships in the ports is temporarily impossible, according to Ukrainian Ministry of Infrastructure. Unverified media reports claim that 67 foreign ships with some 1,000 seamen are blocked in Ukrainian Black Sea ports. It is also claimed that Ukrainian authorities do not allow these ships to leave the ports. Naval mines No more naval mines have been observed by Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey in the Black Sea. A sea mine was spotted by a fishing boat on March 28 about 70 km from Romanian Capu Midia (20 km north of Black Sea largest port of Constanta), and Romanian Navy sent a minesweeper Vice Admiral Constantin Bălescu to investigate and eliminate potential danger. On March 26 Turkey's Navy deactivated a sea mine north of Istanbul. The mine was suspected to had drifted in from the Black Sea. It is unclear whether the mine was Ukrainian or Russian. Turkish media reported later in the day that another mine was spotted in the same area, and crews from the Underwater Defense Group (SAS) Command have been dispatched to locate and diffuse the object. Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) has announced on March 19 that 420 mines are currently drifting in the Black Sea, after several storms broke the anchor cables that attach these mines to the seabed. FSB claimed that the mines had been placed by Ukrainian military in the port areas to prevent Russian ships from approaching the shore. The Ukrainians counter claimed that Russia has planted mines along commercial sea routes stretching from the Bosphorus Strait to Odessa and simultaneously alleged that those were Ukrainian ones. Greece has already issued a warning to Greek-flagged ships about the danger of mines in the Black Sea. The Greek Ministry of the Merchant Navy noticed that mines in the Black Sea might reach the Bosphorus and the Aegean Sea. Ukraine became a landlocked country after Russia blocked the Azov Sea and closed all its Black Sea ports. It is one of the world’s biggest grain and metals exporters with its corn sold to Europe and China, while its wheat is bought by the Middle East countries, North Africa, Turkey, and many others. Kiev can still use Danube River for water transport towards Europe. PortSEurope observations are that the cargo traffic in Danube’s Austrian section has intensified in the last week More PortSEurope news about the Ukrainian crisis Copyright (C) PortSEurope. All Rights Reserved. 2022.

Russia continues attacks against Ukrainian ports; no naval mines spotted in the Black Sea

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Russia continues attacks against Ukrainian ports; no naval mines spotted in the Black Sea

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All news

DP World issues a “blue bond” in the Middle East

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