Ukraine has declared a military threat to shipping in the waters of six Russian ports on the Black Sea.

This is stated in the Coastal Warning of the State Hydrographic Service of Ukraine as of August 5, 2023.

The relevant coastal notice number 118 was published on the institution’s website.

“Military threat. The water area of internal and external roadsteads of the ports of Anapa, Novorossiysk, Gelendzhik, Tuapse, Sochi, Taman“, reads the message on the website of the State Hydrographic Service of the State Service of Maritime and River Transport of Ukraine.

The warning issued on August 4, 2023 will be valid until further notice. The basis is the order №5 of the Ukrainian Navy dated August 4, 2023.

As previously reported, the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine warned that from 00:00 on July 21, 2023, all vessels heading in the waters of the Black Sea towards the Russian Federation seaports and Ukrainian seaports on the territory of Ukraine temporarily occupied by Russia may be considered by Ukraine as potential carriers of military cargo with all the associated risks.

In addition, according to the warning, navigation in the areas of the northeastern part of the Black Sea and the Kerch-Yenikal Strait of Ukraine is prohibited as dangerous from 05:00 am on July 20, 2023.

Prior to that, Russia issued a statement that it would consider all vessels moving to Ukrainian ports in the Black Sea as potential carriers of military goods.

The announcement was made after the withdrawal of the Russian Federation from the so-called “grain agreement” and the termination of the operation of the Black Sea corridor for the export of agricultural products.

It should be noted that the main Russian maritime traffic passes in the northeastern part of the sea, therefore the main threat to Russian ships is primarily maritime drones, which can cover hundreds of kilometers. Ukrainian naval drones have repeatedly attacked Russian vessels in various parts of the Black Sea.

On the night of Friday, August 4, near Novorossiysk, a naval drone damaged the Russian large landing ship Olenegorsky Gornyak.

And already on the night of Saturday, August 5, in the Kerch Strait, a sea drone hit the Russian chemical tanker SIG. It should be noted that the Russian tanker SIG was under US sanctions for transporting fuel to Syria.