Russia’s Defence Ministry said on August 25 that its forces struck five vessels and infrastructure at Ukraine’s Pivdennyi, Odesa and Chornomorsk ports, while shipping companies including MSC, Turkey’s Kalyon and Russia’s Fesco suspended or halted Black Sea operations after attacks. Russia’s grain exports have since stalled, creating a domestic surplus and depressing prices after Black Sea and Sea of Azov routes that previously handled up to 70% of annual shipments, or about 60 million tons. Moscow plans to reroute cargo, suspend the grain export duty through year-end, buy grain for state stocks, subsidize rail transport, extend producer loans and use excess grain as livestock feed. Analysts and farmers say Baltic, Caspian, Far Eastern and Arctic alternatives would be slower and more expensive. Russia’s claims about vessel identities, damage and casualties could not be independently verified.