Replies

Does beg a few questions:

“They must clear the mines and raise the ships they sunk on purpose in the Black Sea” - “There is another opportunity: the ports in the Sea of Azov – Berdyansk and Mariupol – are under our control” - “We are already working on the demining process.”

1. Ukraine doesn’t have a fleet, and the waters are patrolled by Russia. How is it supposed to clear the mines without external help? And if Russia is already able to do this AND already has control over the major ports, can’t it prioritise its clearance for grain shipping instead of for military shipping?

2. How is Ukraine supposed to start raising sunken ships? Russia surely has more capability there. Oh, wait. no. Remember Kursk. Maybe this is a job for the international community, not for Ukraine.

“if someone wants to resolve the problem of exporting Ukrainian grain, if this problem exists at all, please use the simplest way – through Belarus”

But you’re preventing them from doing that. The grain needs to be processed before it can be put on rail containers. Russian forces have repeatedly (and legitimately) targeted the rail infrastructure including repair depots; of course that’s a normal tactic in wartime. But in the last week alone, Russian missiles have hit a grain processing facility at a port, and destroyed a factory that makes grain containers for rail shipping. Isn’t Russia’s own military action preventing Ukraine from redirecting its grain EITHER through Belarus or through the ports?

1. Ukraine doesn’t have a fleet... Mebe those Uke boats that laid down the mines can go back out and collect the mines.

2. How is Ukraine supposed to start raising sunken ships? Mebe they can use some of their 40 Billion USD and rent some equipment.

“if someone wants to resolve the problem of exporting Ukrainian grain, if this problem exists at all, please use the simplest way – through Belarus” Putin threw down 5 alternate ways to move the grain

NATO and the US could reverse course and solve this problem