The UN calls on Russia to create safe sea corridors to exit blocked merchant ships.

At least 100 foreign merchant ships and more than 1,000 sailors - crew members of these ships - remain blocked in Ukrainian ports.

This was reported by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), which is a division of the UN and regulates international merchant shipping.

It is noted that the crews are running out of food supplies.

Foreign ships were locked up in the ports of Ukraine due to the war unleashed by Russia and the blockade of Ukrainian ports by the Russian Navy. Now all Ukrainian waterways in the Azov and Black Seas are under Russian control.

Since February 24, five merchant ships have been hit by shells off the coast of Ukraine. According to the maritime authorities, one of them sank; two sailors died.

The UN calls for the creation of safe sea corridors so that foreign merchant ships can leave the Black Sea for neutral waters without risking the lives of their crews.

The IMO Secretariat is working with both Ukraine and Russia to establish such corridors, but current security risks preclude ships from leaving Ukrainian ports

IMO spokesman