Britain warned on Tuesday that it has information indicating Russia’s military may start to target civilian shipping in the Black Sea.

“Russia may expand their targeting of Ukrainian ports including attacks against civilian shipping in the Black Sea,” Ambassador Barbara Woodward, UK´s permanent representative to the UN, said on Tuesday.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak shared the information with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a phone call on Tuesday, Woodward also added.

She also warned that Russia has laid additional sea mines near Ukrainian ports.

“This morning prime minister Sunak spoke to the Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy to share this information with him. Prime minister Sunak also told the Ukrainian president that he is appalled by the devastation caused by recent attacks on Odessa and that the UK is working closely with Türkiye and the UN to restore the black sea grain deal.”

Ambassador Barbara Woodward also said that this is a coordinated effort to justify and lay blame on Ukraine for any attacks on civilian ship in the Black Sea.

“Tomorrow at the request of Ukraine the Security Council will once again meet on Russia´s escalatory attacks on Odessa and attempts to weaponise global food supplies. President Putin has the power to end this war tomorrow, but he has shown no sign that he is willing to do so. In fact he seems dead-set on causing as much suffering around the world as he can,” she said.

Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a phone call with UK´s prime minister stressed the importance of strengthening the air defence of Ukraine to protect its historical heritage and continue the Black Sea Grain Initiative.

“Britain´s prime minister and I noted the adoption by the G7 of the Joint Declaration of Support for Ukraine at the NATO Summit in Vilnius and the subsequent accession of other countries to it. We also coordinated future steps to fill it with concrete security guarantees on a bilateral basis.”

Earlier this month Russia’s Defence Ministry said flag states of ships travelling to Ukrainian ports would be considered parties to the conflict on Ukraine’s side.

In a statement on the Telegram messaging app, the defence ministry said it would implement its new stance towards ships in the Black Sea from July 20, 2023.

The defence ministry did not say what actions it might take towards ships travelling to Ukraine.

The warning comes after Moscow pulled out of the UN-backed grain deal.

Russia declared that Zelensky’s regime used the humanitarian corridor and the navigation safety provisions under the Black Sea Initiative to attack Russian civilian and military facilities.

Russia’s withdrawal from the agreement has been internationally condemned, as it revived fears of rising grain and food prices.

However Russia’s President Vladimir Putin said that “notwithstanding the sanctions, Russia will continue its energetic efforts to provide supplies of grain, food products, fertilizers, and other goods to Africa.”