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The first ship carrying grain out of Ukraine has left Odessa routed through an agreed corridor in the Black Sea. Russia has been blockading Ukrainian ports since February but a deal brokered by the UN, Turkey, Russia and Ukraine has made it possible to resume export shipments.

The corridor's co-ordinates have been published for both Ukrainian and Russian forces to allow safe passage of commercial vessels.

We spoke to the Ukrainian minister of infrastructure, Oleksandr Kubrakov, who has been at the heart of the negotiations leading to the deal. He says, "I hope all sides will do our best to provide safe navigation through this corridor". However, he says "nobody can predict what will happen next".

Along with risk of possible miscommunications which could trigger an attack on the corridor, there is also the risk of mines. Not only is the Black Sea full of mines left from World War Two but also those left by Russia and Ukraine since the start of the war in February. Minister Kubrakov says Ukraine has "demined only what's required for this route" in its territorial waters. It is therefore important for cargo ships to stay within the agreed route.

(Photo: The Sierra Leone-flagged ship Razoni leaves the port in Odesa after restarting grain export. Credit: Ukrainian Naval Forces Command/Reuters)

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