Ukraine has officially requested the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to send a monitoring mission to its southern ports in the Odesa region amid a surge in Russian attacks, as stated by Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha on 16 October.
The recent weeks have seen an increase in missile strikes on Ukraine’s port infrastructure, with four civilian vessels damaged since October 6. “Amid increased Russian terror, Ukraine has appealed to the IMO to immediately send an international monitoring mission to the ports,” Sybiha said during a briefing in Odesa, following meetings with the foreign ministers of the Nordic-Baltic Eight group, according to Reuters.
Sybiha emphasized that Russian strikes on port infrastructure, grain storage facilities, and civilian vessels pose a significant threat to global food security. Insurance sources have noted a spike in insurance costs and several cancellations of bookings in response to the recent Russian assaults
According to Ukrainian officials, Russia has conducted nearly 60 attacks on ports in the past three months, damaging and destroying nearly 300 port facilities and 22 civilian vessels, highlighting the severity of the situation.