Joseph Schulte, a civilian cargo ship from Ukraine reaches Istanbul defying the Russian blockade

The civilian cargo ship named Joseph Schulte from Ukraine has successfully arrived in Istanbul, disregarding a Russian blockade. The Hong Kong-flagged vessel’s arrival in its intended destination marks a significant defiance of Vladimir Putin’s attempt to cut off Ukraine’s Black Sea access.

This event is the first direct challenge to Putin’s endeavor to restrict Ukraine’s maritime passage. The Joseph Schulte’s journey follows closely after Russia’s engagement in firing upon a Turkish-owned ship. The ship, flagged from Palau, was en route to the Ukrainian river port of Izmail when the Russian navy fired warning shots and boarded it, as reported by AFP.

In addition to these events, Moscow has escalated its attacks on Ukraine’s shipping infrastructure after withdrawing from the UN-backed Black Sea Grain Initiative, which was mediated by Turkey. This development aligns with Ukraine’s decision to confront Russia regarding maritime access, coinciding with global efforts to ensure secure grain export routes for the upcoming autumn harvest.

As per marine traffic websites, the Joseph Schulte deliberately followed a western route that bypassed international waters, instead traversing regions controlled by NATO members Romania and Bulgaria.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described the ship’s route as utilizing a “new humanitarian corridor” established by Kyiv. This corridor, set up in response to Russia’s withdrawal from the grain export agreement along the Black Sea, was designed to facilitate the movement of goods.

The agreement, which had been operational until the previous year, contributed to reducing global food prices and served as a vital revenue source for Ukraine amidst its ongoing conflict with Russia.

However, on July 17th, Moscow decided to exit the agreement, citing its failure to meet the objective of alleviating hunger in Africa and other famine-stricken regions.

Notably, the United States recently expressed its intention to explore all options, including the potential provision of military support to Ukrainian ships, in response to these developments.