Ukraine proposes halt to strikes on civilian targets in the Black Sea

UkrAgroConsult

Ukraine has sent Russia, through a third party, a proposal to halt mutual strikes on civilian targets in the Black Sea. Kyiv is still awaiting a response from Moscow, Reuters reported, citing a source familiar with the matter.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan had also previously said that a moratorium on attacks in the Black Sea could be proposed to Ukraine and Russia. The initiative comes amid a sharp escalation in strikes on ports and vessels, raising risks for Black Sea grain exports and global food security.

Russia’s grain exports are deteriorating. In July 2026, exports of major grains fell 37.6% year-on-year to 2.03 mln tons from 3.25 mln tons, according to the Russian Grain Union. Wheat exports declined 17.7% to 1.8 mln tons, corn shipments fell 3.5-fold to 146 thsd tons, while barley exports plunged 5.6-fold to 101 thsd tons. Redirecting substantial grain volumes away from the Black Sea would be difficult due to limited alternative infrastructure capacity and longer logistics routes. New strikes on the ports of Novorossiysk will further constrain exports after several major grain terminals were damaged and temporarily halted operations.

The situation also remains difficult for Ukraine. Russia’s effective blockade of Ukrainian Black Sea ports in the Odesa region and strikes on port infrastructure have caused grain exports to fall by 76% in August compared with the same period last year. Alternative routes via the Danube and rail have limited capacity and are currently unable to fully compensate for the loss of seaborne export capacity.

Continued attacks on port and shipping infrastructure could further restrict grain supplies from the Black Sea region. Ukraine and Russia are major global grain exporters, meaning prolonged disruptions to shipments could have broader implications for the global market, particularly for countries heavily dependent on food imports.

Tags: Ukraine, Russia, Black Sea region, war