Russian attacks on civilian ships have effectively brought the ports in the greater region of Odesa to a standstill. Until recently, they handled about 90% of Ukraine's agricultural exports.
The Ukrainian government has been working on finding alternative routes via rail, road and other waterways. It is also currently in negotiations about an export corridor that would go via Moldova.
But many experts have pointed out that these temporary alternatives cannot replace the ports, and warn that the current blockade of the Black Sea is an even greater threat to the Ukrainian economy than that posed by Russia's full-scale invasion of 2022.
Russian attacks have brought ships in the Black Sea to a standstillImage: Victor Sayenko/REUTERS
The strained security situation in the Black Sea is already having a palpable effect on Ukraine's domestic market. According to Denys Marchuk, the deputy chairman of the All-Ukrainian Agrarian Council, Ukrainian farmers have already harvested more than 28 million tons of grains and pulses.
