Read all the news about the war in Ukraine in this dossier.
“We know of three ships (Panamanian flag) that have been victims of Russian rocket fire” since the start of the war, said Noriel Arauz of the maritime authority. One of the ships has sunk, or so it sounds. “The other two are still afloat, but have suffered material damage,” Arauz said. All crew members are unharmed.
The Russian navy is stopping ships that want to leave the Black Sea, says Arauz. A dozen Panamanian ships transporting grain and the 150 or so crew members were blocked as a result.
Ukraine’s general staff says Russian naval vessels have been blocking shipping in the northwestern Black Sea since the start of the war. Last Saturday, Kiev reported a total of 94 ships that were stuck in Ukrainian ports as a result.
The Russian army says 70 foreign ships have been blocked in Ukrainian ports because of a “high risk of mines”.