ROME, July 27. /TASS/. Civilian transportation in the Black Sea is unlikely without security guarantees within the framework of the Black Sea grain deal, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin said.
"In such an alarming area, which is now the Black Sea, and according to the relevant announcements of the Russian Defense Ministry, the use of civilian ships for transportation is very expensive, taking into account the growth of insurance rates. So I doubt that anyone will do it," Vershinin said.
"It is unacceptable to use the humanitarian sea corridor for terrorist purposes and acts committed by the Kiev regime," he added.
The agreement, which guaranteed the safe export of grain from Black Sea ports, was terminated on July 17. On July 19, the Russian Defense Ministry said that as of July 20, Moscow would consider all ships sailing to Ukrainian Black Sea ports to be carrying military cargo. The ministry specified that the flag countries of such ships would be considered to be involved in the Ukrainian conflict on the side of Kiev. In addition, the Defense Ministry announced that a number of sea areas in the northwestern and southeastern parts of the international waters of the Black Sea have been declared temporarily dangerous for navigation.
Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council Secretary Alexey Danilov said that against the background of the termination of the grain deal, the country's leadership could turn to other countries and the UN with a proposal to escort ships carrying Ukrainian grain through the Black Sea under guard. Earlier, Ukrainian Ambassador to Turkey Vasily Bodnar said that Kiev proposed to organize food deliveries from the country's ports through the territorial waters of Romania and Bulgaria.