MOSCOW, August 1. /TASS/. A ship loaded with corn, which left the Ukrainian port of Odessa on Monday, will arrive in Istanbul on Tuesday, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement.
"The Sierra Leone-flagged Razoni ship left the port of Odessa at about 9:20 am Moscow time on August 1 as part of an initiative aimed at ensuring the safe transportation of Ukrainian grain and food products from Ukrainian ports. The Razoni ship, loaded with corn, is scheduled to arrive in the waters of the Istanbul port on August 2," the statement reads.
According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the maritime corridor where the ship is moving passes through the northwestern part of the Black Sea.
The ministry pointed out that Russian officers had taken an active part in preparations for the vessel’s departure. "The humanitarian operation for the departure of the first ship carrying agricultural products was conducted with the active participation of Russian officers from the Istanbul-based Joint Grain Export Coordination Center," the Russian Defense Ministry added.
On July 22, Russian Defense Minister Army General Sergey Shoigu participated in the signing of a package of documents aimed at resolving the issue of food and fertilizer supplies to global markets. Under a Russia-UN memorandum, the United Nations will engage in efforts to lift anti-Russian restrictions preventing the export of agricultural products and fertilizers. Another document creates a mechanism to export grain from Ukraine-controlled Black Sea ports.