Another six ships leave Ukrainian ports as grain corridor resumes operation - Turkish Defense Ministry

ISTANBUL. Nov 3 (Interfax) - Another six ships loaded with grain have departed from Ukrainian ports as the grain corridor resumed operation, Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said on Thursday.

"The Turkish president said yesterday that the grain corridor had resumed operation. After that another six ships sailed out of Ukrainian ports," the Anadolu agency quoted Akar as saying.

In all, 426 ships have departed from Ukrainian ports to date with a total of 9.7 million tonnes of agricultural products onboard, he said.

Last Saturday, the Russian Foreign Ministry said that Moscow would suspend the implementation of the Black Sea Grain Initiative until further notice in the wake of the Ukrainian drone attack on Black Sea Fleet ships in Sevastopol. After that, the Russian mission to the UN formally notified the UN secretary-general about Russia's suspended participation in the grain deal.

However, The Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement on Wednesday that Russia is resuming participation in the Black Sea Grain Initiative. The ministry said that the United Nations and Turkey helped obtain written guarantees from Ukraine that Kiev will not be using the grain corridor for hostilities against Russia.