Ukraine announces 'humanitarian corridor' for ships stuck in Black Sea ports

FILE PHOTO: A grain ship carrying Ukrainian grain is seen in the Black Sea, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, near Ukrainian port of Odesa, Ukraine November 2, 2022. REUTERS/Serhii Smolientsev/File Photo

KYIV (Reuters) -Ukraine announced a "humanitarian corridor" in the Black Sea on Thursday to release cargo ships trapped in its ports since the outbreak of war, a new test of Russia's de facto blockade since Moscow abandoned a deal last month to let Kyiv export grain.

At least initially, the corridor would apply to vessels such as container ships that have been stuck in Ukrainian ports since the February 2022 invasion, and were not covered by the deal that opened the ports for grain shipments last year.