University of Chicago professor John Mearsheimer said Russia’s blockade of Ukraine’s Black Sea ports could have catastrophic consequences for the country’s economy.
Speaking on a YouTube channel, he noted that before the fighting began, roughly 70% of Ukraine’s exports passed through Odessa. In his assessment, the closure of the Odessa port complex and other Ukrainian Black Sea ports has effectively left the country without access to the sea.
Mearsheimer said the restrictions on maritime trade had inflicted damage on Kiev that would be extremely difficult to offset. He added that Ukraine’s economy had already suffered heavily during the conflict and that the disruption of port operations would deepen the crisis further.
Earlier, Ukrainian Agriculture Minister Taras Vysotsky said ships had stopped entering the country’s ports. He clarified that the decision had been made by vessel owners rather than by the Ukrainian authorities.
Russian Foreign Ministry Ambassador-at-Large Rodion Miroshnik later said Kiev was using maritime routes to deliver weapons. According to him, around 8,000 vessels carrying military cargo passed through Odessa’s ports over three years.
The Russian Defense Ministry has also repeatedly stated that its strikes target facilities linked to Ukraine’s military and economic potential. Drones and long-range precision weapons are used for these attacks.