Turkey says ship carrying first Ukrainian grain on track for arrival in Istanbul

The first Ukrainian grain ship, since Russia’s invasion that blocked the export, is  fearing it could still run into problems, Reuter reports.
The ship’s departure on Monday from the Ukrainian port of Odesa for Lebanon via Turkey under a safe passage deal raises hopes of further departures which could help ease a growing global food crisis.
Turkey expects one grain ship to leave Ukrainian ports each day as long as the safe passage agreement holds, a senior Turkish official, who asked to remain anonymous, said on Tuesday.
Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelenskiy in his nightly address late on Monday called the ship’s departure «the first positive signal», but warned it was too early to draw conclusions or predict how things would play out.
Zelenskiy warned to be cautios and that there cannot be illusions hat Russia may refrain from trying to disrupt Ukrainian exports.
Ozcan Altunbudak, Turkey’s representative at a coordination centre, created to oversee the restart of Ukrainian grain exports, said that the grain ship Razoni is expected to anchor at Istanbul on Tuesday night.
Afterwards it is to be inspected by Russian, Turkish, Ukrainian and U.N. officials under the terms of the safe passage agreement before continuing its journey to the Lebanese port of Tripoli.
There are other difficulties to overcome before millions of tonnes of Ukrainian grain can leave its ports, including clearing sea mines and creating a framework for other vessels to safely enter the conflict zone and pick up cargoes.
Reuter informs that Ukraine hopes to export 20 million tonnes of grain held in silos and 40 million tonnes from the harvest now under way, initially from Odesa and nearby Pivdennyi and Chornomorsk, to help clear the silos for the new crop.
Russia has called the Razoni’s departure «positive» news. It has denied responsibility for the food crisis, saying Western sanctions have slowed its exports.
Russia and Ukraine accuse each other of laying mines that now float around the Black Sea endangering shipping.