6 grain vessels leave Ukraine after Russia restores deal: Türkiye

ANKARA, Nov. 3 (Xinhua) -- Six grain vessels left Ukrainian ports on Thursday after Russia resumed its participation in the UN-brokered deal which allows grain exports through the Black Sea, Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said.

The number of ships leaving Ukraine's ports reached 426, and the amount of grain transported exceeded 9.7 million tons, Akar said in a statement.

"We will intensify our efforts on the extension of the grain initiative, which will expire on Nov. 19," he added.

The Turkish minister underlined that while using the model of consensus reached in the grain initiative, Türkiye wanted to establish a ceasefire and open the road to peace in the coming days between Russia and Ukraine.

Russia on Wednesday announced its return to the implementation of a grain export deal via the Black Sea, saying Ukraine has promised not to use the humanitarian corridor for military attacks.

The joint coordination center for the implementation of the Black Sea Grain Initiative on Tuesday received a written guarantee from Ukraine of not using the shipping route defined in the deal and Ukrainian ports designated for grain export to conduct military operations against Russia, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement.

The Ukrainian side officially assured that the maritime humanitarian corridor will be used only in accordance with the provisions of the grain export deal and related regulations of the joint coordination center, it added.

On July 22, Russia and Ukraine separately signed a document in Istanbul with Türkiye and the United Nations on grain and fertilizer exports from Ukraine and Russia to ensure supplies to global markets amid the Russia-Ukraine conflict.