Zelenskiy confirms two additional ships traverse Black Sea corridor

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy announced that two more ships have successfully passed through the temporary Black Sea shipping corridor established after Russia withdrew from a U.N.-backed grain export deal in July. The vessels' identities and completion dates were not disclosed. This brings the total number of ships using the corridor to four. Zelenskiy stated that Ukraine is restoring true freedom of navigation in the Black Sea, emphasizing the determination required for such freedom. Russia had blockaded Ukrainian ports since its invasion in February 2022 and threatened to treat all vessels as potential military targets. In response, Ukraine established a humanitarian corridor along the western Black Sea coast. The grain export deal, which allowed Ukraine to ship agricultural produce during the invasion, will be discussed in a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan.