Russian Ministry of Defense informed that it “inspected” a ship in the southwestern part of the Black Sea, after which the ship continued heading to Ukrainian port. The statement likely comes as a response to the announcement of a Ukrainian corridor for commercial ships.

As was reported on 12 August, the Ukrainian Navy opened the registration of commercial ships for the Black Sea passage through approved corridors amid the Russian sea blockade.

Russia claims it first ordered the bulker carrier Sukra Okan under the flag of Palau to stop. After it refused, Russians opened “warning fire,” and soldiers landed on the ship by helicopter. After “inspection,” the ship “continued its way to the port of Izmail,” which is in Ukraine, the Russian statement reads.

The incident happened in the southwestern part of the Black Sea, according to a Russian statement, which is far away from Ukrainian territorial waters.

The Ukrainian side didn’t react to the incident so far.