Ukrainian Navy designates temporary corridors for merchant vessels in Black Sea

KIEV, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- The Ukrainian Naval Forces said on Thursday it has designated temporary corridors for merchant vessels sailing from and to Ukrainian ports in the Black Sea.

The sea lanes have been proposed by Ukraine to the International Maritime Organization, the Ukrainian Navy said in a statement on Facebook.

The routes will be primarily used to allow civilian ships stuck in the ports of Chornomorsk, Odesa and Pivdenny due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict to leave Ukrainian waters, the statement said.

The Ukrainian navy emphasized that military threats and mine danger in the Black Sea persist, blaming Russia for creating hazards to merchant shipping.

After the Black Sea Grain Initiative collapsed last month, Russia and Ukraine said they would consider ships sailing to each other's ports through the Black Sea as potential carriers of military cargo.