Russia to redirect ships from Azov Sea over Ukraine strikes

MOSCOW: Russia said on Tuesday it was looking for 'alternative shipping routes' and could limit traffic in the Azov Sea due to intensifying strikes by Ukraine which claims to have hit over 110 vessels there in nine days. The Azov Sea lies between Russia, the southern stretch of Ukraine that has been occupied by Moscow's army and Russia-annexed Crimea. It is an important export route for agricultural products — including grain from occupied Ukraine that Kyiv says is 'stolen' — and for supplies to Crimea.
The sea strikes come as Ukraine has massively intensified drone attacks deep into Russia, causing nationwide fuel shortages. 'Alternative shipping routes are currently being worked out in collaboration with relevant agencies and the business community,' Russia's agriculture ministry said in a statement. It insisted that exports will carry on. 'The situation in the Azov Sea will not affect the domestic market's food supply or our country's export capabilities,' the ministry said.
The Russian transport ministry said it was 'taking all necessary measures to ensure the smooth operation of freight logistics' as attacks rise. It added that 'if necessary', some 'cargo will be redirected to other modes of transport.' The commander of Ukraine's drone forces said on Tuesday that Ukraine had hit '116 vessels over the past nine days', including several tankers and cargo ships, in the Azov Sea. He said the aim was to damage Russia's 'shadow fleet' and to limit Russia's petrol supplies to Moscow-controlled Crimea.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the Kremlin was working to stop the attacks and — during a Moscow press conference with his counterpart from Chad — said Russia will continue food shipments to African countries. Asked about the Azov Sea attacks, Lavrov said: 'The president (Vladimir Putin) is working for this to stop.' 'In any case, we will continue to fulfil all our obligations to supply food to our African friends — both under commercial contracts and as part of humanitarian aid,' he added.
Russia and Ukraine are among the world's biggest grain and wheat producers, vital to global food supply. Lavrov accused European countries of attempting to 'steer the United States off course' from finding a settlement to the Ukraine war. US President Donald Trump recently condoned Ukrainian strikes on Russia. 'It's an escalation, but it's also an escalation that can help lead to an end,' he said last week.
Separately, more civilians were killed in Ukraine in June than in any single month since April 2022, the United Nations said on Tuesday, as Russia escalated long-range missile strikes. Exploiting Ukraine's shortage of air-defence missiles, Russia has in recent months intensified its bombardments of densely populated urban areas, especially the capital Kyiv. 'At least 293 civilians were killed and 1,990 injured in Ukraine in June 2026,' said the UN's human rights monitoring mission in Ukraine.
That was the highest figure since April 2022, the second full month of Russia's attack, which has now dragged on for four and a half years. 'The increase was driven largely by long-range attacks by the Russian Federation, which mainly affected urban centres far from the frontline,' the UN added. The number of verified civilian deaths in Ukraine was 37 per cent higher in the first six months of 2026 compared to last year, and more than twice the number in 2024. The UN has recorded 16,431 verified civilian deaths in Ukraine since Russia attacked in February 2022 — among them 803 children. — AFP