Ukraine has appealed to the IMO over Russia’s ongoing attacks on vessels in the Black Sea, the ministry for recovery, infrastructure and transport reported.
The Ukrainian ministry said Russia carried out attacks against 52 vessels, mainly bulk carriers transporting cargo to and from Ukrainian seaports during July and the first half of August.
The 52 vessels targeted during the period included 39 merchant vessels as well as two search and rescue units.
The tally includes ships transporting food or other commercial cargoes to and from Ukrainian seaports or were present in seaports.
These attacks have resulted in fatalities and numerous injuries among seafarers, while most of the vessels have been rendered unseaworthy, creating additional threats to the safety of navigation in the Black Sea, the ministry said Friday.
Ukraine emphasized that the current intensity of the attacks jeopardizes the operation of the Temporary Maritime Corridor, limiting the ability of civilian vessels to enter and leave Ukrainian seaports safely.
Since the beginning of 2026, the corridor has facilitated the export of more than 27 million tonnes of food cargo.
More than half of the cargo is grain, which is delivered to more than 55 countries around the world.
“These are not isolated incidents, but deliberate actions aimed at blocking a vital international shipping route on which food supplies, the stability of global markets and the economic security of many states depend,” the ministry reported.
“In this context, the resolution recently adopted by the IMO Council on the protection of vital shipping routes is of particular importance. We consider that the situation surrounding the Ukrainian maritime corridor fall directly within the scope and objectives of this resolution, as its blockage or prolonged disruption would have serious consequences for the safety of international shipping, global supply chains and global food security,” the statement said.
Since the start of Russia’s full-scale war, 1,090 port infrastructure facilities and 262 merchant ships have been damaged or partially destroyed, while 329 civilians have been killed or injured.
Ukraine’s minister for recovery, infrastructure and transport, Mykola Kalashnyk, addressed the appeal to IMO secretary-general Arsenio Dominguez.
Ukraine requested the IMO secretariat to circulate the letter as an official document among all member states, intergovernmental organizations, and non-governmental organizations holding consultative status with the organisation.
