Ukraine offered Russia a truce in the Black Sea

The offer came amid a sharp deterioration in shipping security in the Black Sea. The international specialized publication Lloyd’s List recently called this region the most dangerous for commercial shipping.

In recent months, Ukraine has regularly attacked Russian vessels in the Black and Azov Seas using drones. Specifically, the targets include tankers of the so-called shadow fleet, used for transporting Russian oil, as well as facilities related to the supply of Crimea.

In recent days, strikes have also affected grain terminals in Novorossiysk. Attacks have also hit container ships, the Caspian Pipeline Consortium terminal, and vessels transporting Kazakh oil.

Russia, in turn, strikes not only at Ukrainian ports in the Odesa region but also at civilian vessels entering these ports, including foreign ones. Ballistic missiles, among other things, are used for these attacks.

Due to the dangers of shipping, cargo traffic in Ukrainian ports has sharply decreased. In July, about 15 vessels entered Odesa ports daily, but by the end of the month, their number dropped to one or two per day. In August, according to the data provided in the article, shipping virtually ceased.

According to Ukrainian authorities, in June and July, Russian forces attacked at least 50 cargo ships. More than 30 people died as a result of these strikes.

One of the most severe cases was the attack on the bulk carrier Golden Leo. On July 19, the vessel left the port of Chornomorsk with a cargo of grain. When it was approximately 6.4 kilometers from the port, a Russian missile hit its hull. 10 crew members and a Ukrainian pilot died, and the vessel itself sank.

Ukrainian drones also attacked tankers of Russia's shadow fleet and some foreign vessels. Near Novorossiysk, the container ship "Yanina" of the Fesco company, which was en route from India, was sunk. After this, one of the largest Russian container carriers refused to operate routes through the Black Sea.

Serious problems also arose for Russian grain exports. On August 13, the KSK terminal in Novorossiysk ceased operations, and two other large terminals had been suspended the day before.

As a result, none of Novorossiysk's three main grain terminals are currently operational. Their total transshipment capacity is over 26 million tons of grain per year.

Even before the latest attacks, Russian grain exports through the Black and Azov Sea ports decreased by 22.8% in July — to 1.8 million tons.

Ukrainian grain exports also suffered. According to data provided in the article, during the first incomplete two weeks of August, they decreased by 75% compared to the same period in 2025. Economists estimate that a complete blockade of Black Sea ports could cost Ukraine between 1% and 1.5% of its GDP.

The situation has also led to increased danger for sailors. According to Lloyd's List, July became the deadliest month for merchant marine sailors since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. According to estimates by the Turkish sailors' union, 23 people could have died in July alone. However, the exact number of casualties is difficult to verify due to the lack of transparency surrounding the hostilities.

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