Ukraine: In accordance with a deal with Russia to open up Ukraine's grain exports, two more ships carrying corn and soybeans departed Ukrainian Black Sea ports on Monday, bringing the total number of ships since the first ship last week to 10. 

After receiving warnings that the disruption of grain shipments due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine could lead to severe food shortages and even outbreaks of famine in some regions of the world, the United Nations and Turkey Helped broker in settlement last month.
According to the Turkish Defense Ministry, Arizona, which left Chernomorsk, is transporting 48,458 tons of corn to Iskenderun in southern Turkey, and Sakura, which left Pivdenni, is transporting 11,000 tons of soybeans to Italy.

Ukraine's Minister of Infrastructure, Oleksandr Kubrakov, confirmed that both ships had departed and said that the third port in the agreement, Pivdenyny, was now operational.
According to Kubrakov, the opening of Pivdeny will increase Ukraine's monthly export capacity to 3 million tonnes.
Six million tons of grain were exported each month from Ukrainian ports along the Black Sea and Azov coasts in times of peace.

According to Turkey's defense ministry, four ships that left Ukraine on Sunday are to anchor off Istanbul on Monday night and will be inspected on Tuesday.
Together, the two countries supplied about a third of the world's wheat exports prior to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which it refers to as its "special military operation".
A Joint Coordination Center (JCC) in Istanbul, with Russian, Ukrainian, Turkish and UN staff, is in charge of overseeing the resumption of grain exports.
According to information from Refinitiv Ship Tracker, Rajoni, which was the first to depart, is currently anchored off the southern coast of Turkey and was due to reach Lebanon on Sunday.

According to Ukraine's Ministry of Infrastructure, the Fulmar S, the first foreign-flagged bulk ship to arrive at the Black Sea port of Chornomorsk since the conflict, was ready for loading.

Osprey S, the second Ukrainian-bound ship, was tested in Istanbul on Sunday and was approaching Ukraine on Monday morning, according to data from Refinitiv.
new stage in the struggle
In a weekend analysis, the British Defense Ministry said the fighting would extend to a nearly 350-kilometre (217-mile) front line from close to the city of Zaporizhzhya to Russian-occupied Kherson, as the Russian invasion began. February 24, "is about to enter a new phase."

The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station, which was attacked late Saturday, is located in that area. Both sides accused each other of assault.
According to Energotom, the operator of Ukraine's nuclear power plant, three radiation monitors near a storage facility for spent nuclear fuel were damaged by Russian shelling, and a worker was also injured. Ukrainian forces fired those shells, according to Russian news outlets citing the administration of the separatist-controlled plant.
The power plant has been under Russian control for several months. According to Energoatum, Russian soldiers there had taken shelter in bunkers before Saturday's attack.
The Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi, recently issued a serious health and environmental hazard assessment in relation to the operation of the plant and the fighting surrounding it.

Russia has focused its efforts during the past four months of conflict to take control of the Donbass region in eastern Ukraine, where pro-Moscow separatists have been in charge of some areas as self-declared republics for eight years. Russian forces have gradually advanced into the area, launching missile and rocket attacks to restrict the movements of Ukrainian fighters elsewhere.
According to the Institute for the Study of War, a Washington-based think tank, the Russians "continue to accumulate large amounts of military equipment" in a town across the Dnieper River from Russian-occupied Kherson.
Citing local Ukrainian officials, it was said that it appeared that preparations were made to protect the city's supply routes and to establish a defensive position on the left bank of the river.
At the beginning of the conflict, Kherson was under Russian control, but Ukrainian officials have vowed to retake it. The largest port in Ukraine, Odessa, is only 227 kilometers (141 mi) away, so if the conflict there escalates, it could have an impact on the global grain trade.

Also close to Odessa is the city of Mykolaiv, a shipbuilding center regularly opened by the Russian military. Mykolaiv region governor Vitaly Kim said shots were fired early Sunday at an industrial building on the outskirts of the city.
According to regional governor Serhi Haidai, five civilians were killed as a result of Russian and separatist fires the previous day.  cities in the Donetsk region, the portion of Donbas that is still under Ukrainian control.
He has repeatedly urged civilians to leave along with Ukrainian government representatives.

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