Ukraine Proposes Moscow Mutual Halt to Black Sea Attacks

Ukraine has, through a third party, proposed to Russia that both sides halt attacks on civilian targets in the Black Sea.Ukraine has not yet received a response to the proposal, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official.The offer came as both Kyiv and Moscow continue to trade blame over strikes disrupting grain shipments that could possibly cause food prices to surge this year.Tanker strikes paused at US requestUkraine has already paused drone strikes on oil tankers using Russia’s Black Sea port of Novorossiysk after a request from US Vice President JD Vance, the Financial Times reported, citing Ukrainian authorities.The request followed US concerns that Ukraine was destabilizing oil markets and harming American companies by targeting tankers carrying Kazakh crude bound for a Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) terminal at the port.A US official told Reuters that the Trump administration had warned Kyiv to “cease and desist” from targeting non-Russian vessels and CPC infrastructure, adding that Washington views the CPC as an alternative to Russian energy supplies.According to the official, Ukraine has reaffirmed it will refrain from striking CPC infrastructure and non-Russian vessels bound for the terminal, “as long as they are not subject to Ukrainian sanctions.”Black Sea drone attacks knocked out as much as a fifth of CPC oil loadings in July, according to four sources familiar with the data cited by Reuters, disrupting sales by Kazakhstan and Western oil majors. Other Topics of Interest Bomb Hidden in Trash Bin Kills Russian Officer Who Defected From Ukraine Russia’s FSB confirmed that a defense ministry serviceman was killed and said a woman had been detained. Ukraine combines 15 weapons in Wednesday’s Novorossiysk strikeOn Wednesday, Aug. 12, Ukraine’s Defense Forces struck four Russian warships during an overnight operation at the Novorossiysk naval base in Russia’s Krasnodar region.The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) and Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) confirmed that the strikes were part of a joint operation.According to preliminary data, damage of varying degrees was caused to two Project 11356 frigates, “Admiral Makarov” and “Admiral Essen”, as well as the Project 21631 small missile ship “Buyan-M” and the Project 22160 patrol ship “Vasily Bykov.”Russian authorities declared an emergency following a large-scale Ukrainian attack that damaged infrastructure, disrupted the water supply, and sparked multiple fires.Novorossiysk Mayor Andrei Kravchenko announced the measure after authorities lifted a drone alert that had remained in effect overnight.The attack ruptured two major water pipelines, forcing authorities to suspend water supplies to the city, according to the mayor. He also reported multiple fires but did not disclose the full extent of the damage.President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed on Wednesday that Ukraine used 15 domestically produced missile, aerial-drone, and naval-drone systems in the strike.“For the first time in a single operation, Palianytsia, Peklo, Bars, and Long Neptune worked in concert,” Zelensky wrote.The strike package also included the Mich, Fire Point, Ramzay, Sichen, Trust, Khariok, Bober, Liutyi, and Dovbush aerial drones, as well as Sargan and Mamai unmanned surface vessels. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization, reporting since 1995. Its international reach – 97% of readers are outside of Ukraine – make it truly Ukraine’s global voice.