This footage shows the first ship carrying Ukrainian grain leaving the port of Odesa.
A loud horn can be heard being sounded in the footage as the vessel makes its way out of the port.
It is reportedly the first ship carrying grain to leave the Ukrainian port of Odesa as part of a landmark deal between Ukraine and Russia. The deal was overseen by Turkey and the United Nations.
The Joint Coordination Center (JCC) in Istanbul, which was established as part of the deal, said the ship was carrying approximately 26,000 tons of corn and is expected to arrive in Turkish waters on Tuesday, August 2, for inspection.
The footage was obtained from the Minister of Infrastructure of Ukraine, Oleksandr Kubrakov, 39, on the morning of Monday, August 1, along with a statement (in English) saying: “The first ship with Ukrainian food came out of Odessa port.
“Today at 09.15 for the first time since February 24, we expect the departure of the ship from Odessa port, which is loaded with Ukrainian food. This is the RAZONI ship, which is under the Sierra Leone flag heading to the port of Tripoli in Lebanon.
“It will move [in] the corridor, the security of which has been confirmed by our guarantor partners – the UN and Turkey.”
Kubrakov confirmed that it was carrying 26,000 tons of cargo. He added: “Ukraine is the 4th-largest corn exporter in the world, so the possibility of exporting it via ports is a colossal success in ensuring global food security.
“Today Ukraine, together with partners, takes another step to prevent world hunger. Unlocking ports will provide at least $1 billion in foreign exchange revenue to the economy and an opportunity for the agricultural sector to plan for next year.
“We are grateful to the partners who, despite the difficulties, did not stop the export preparation work. Together with the representatives of the United Nations and Turkey, the internal operational regulations have already been worked [out].”
He also praised the “support from American and European partners on the way to unblocking Ukrainian seaports”.
Kubrakov added that “16 more ships are waiting for their turn in the ports of Great Odessa. These are the ships that have been blocked since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion. In parallel, we will receive applications for the arrival of new vessels to load agricultural products.
“In the coming weeks, with the support of our partners, we plan to reach full capacity of agricultural products transfer.”
The images were also relayed by the Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine, as well as by the Ukrainian Center for Strategic Communications and Information Security, which operates under the umbrella of the Ministry of Culture and Information of Ukraine.
Zenger News contacted the Minister of Infrastructure of Ukraine for further comment, as well as the Russian Ministry of Defense, but had not received a reply at the time of writing.
Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24 in what the Kremlin is calling a “special military operation”. Monday marks the 159th day of the invasion.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between February 24 and August 1, Russia had lost about 41,030 personnel, 1,768 tanks, 4,011 armored combat vehicles, 932 artillery units, 259 multiple launch rocket systems, 117 air defense systems, 223 warplanes, 190 helicopters, 736 drones, 174 cruise missiles, 15 warships, 2,912 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, and 82 units of special equipment.
Russia has claimed that its casualties have been much lower, but provides infrequent updates on its latest figures.
Vadym Skibitsky, Ukraine’s deputy head of military intelligence, has said that Russia is moving large numbers of soldiers to the south of the country in a bid to take up defensive positions ahead of an expected Ukrainian counteroffensive to retake territory occupied by Russian forces since the beginning of the invasion.
Skibitsky said: “They are increasing their troop numbers, preparing for our counteroffensive [in southern Ukraine] and perhaps preparing to launch an offensive of their own.”
Ukraine’s Ministry for Reintegration of the Temporary Occupied Territories has urged hundreds of thousands of civilians to evacuate frontline areas of the eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk.
The ministry said: “They need to be evacuated, you cannot put them in mortal danger in the winter without heating, light, without the ability to keep them warm.”
The southern Ukrainian port city of Mykolaiv was hit by Russian strikes early on Sunday morning in what Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has described as “probably the most brutal” attack on the city since the beginning of the war.
Mykolaiv Mayor Oleksandr Senkevych also said that the missile strikes were probably the heaviest Russian bombardments of the city so far.
One of the richest men in Ukraine, Oleksiy Vadatursky, 74, along with his wife Raisa, were killed when a missile hit their home in Mykolaiv. Vadatursky, who had received the “Hero of Ukraine” award, owned Nibulon, a company that is involved in exporting grain and was reportedly worth $450 million in 2020, according to Forbes.
The first ship carrying grain has left the Ukrainian port of Odesa as part of a landmark deal between Ukraine and Russia and overseen by Turkey and the United Nations.
The Joint Coordination Center (JCC) in Istanbul, which was established as part of the deal, said the ship was carrying approximately 26,000 tons of corn and is expected to arrive in Turkish waters on Tuesday for inspection.
