Russia Claims "Explosive Traces Found on Black Sea Grain Transport Ship" Again

Russia has once again raised suspicions of arms shipments to Ukraine, claiming to have found traces of explosives on a grain transport ship traveling through the Black Sea.

Grain transport ships are sailing through the Black Sea. [Image source=Yonhap News]

On the 27th (local time), the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) stated in a press release that "during an operation to prevent acts of terrorism and sabotage and to ensure maritime safety, another foreign civilian vessel that may have been used to transport explosives to Ukraine was discovered," according to major foreign media reports.

According to the FSB, traces of explosives were found during an inspection of the 'BMO River' ship the previous day. Investigations revealed that this vessel had docked twice at Ukrainian ports last month and this month. The inspection took place while the ship was sailing from T?rkiye (Turkey) to load grain at Rostov-on-Don in southwestern Russia. Consequently, the FSB banned the vessel from passing through the Crimean Bridge and ordered it to leave Russian waters.

This is the second time Russia has raised suspicions that civilian grain transport ships may have been used to supply weapons to Ukraine. On the 24th, Russia similarly claimed to have found traces of explosives on a grain transport ship heading from T?rkiye to Rostov-on-Don.

Since invading Ukraine in February last year, Russia signed the Black Sea Grain Initiative in July last year, mediated by T?rkiye and the United Nations, to ensure the safe export of grain through the Black Sea for the stability of the global food market. However, Russia has consistently raised objections, claiming that matters related to its interests were not being respected, and ultimately declared its withdrawal from the agreement on the 17th.

Since then, Russia has withdrawn its guarantee of safety for Black Sea routes and has been conducting daily airstrikes on southern Ukrainian ports. In response, Ukraine has intensified fighting by attacking Russian military facilities in the Crimean Peninsula. Moreover, both countries have warned each other that they may attack civilian ships traveling through the Black Sea on suspicion of transporting weapons.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.