KYIV Ukraine's navy said on Wednesday that 12 more vessels were ready to enter a Black Sea shipping corridor on their way towards Ukrainian ports, and that 10 other vessels were ready to depart from the country's ports.

Navy spokesperson Dmytro Pletenchuk made his remarks as Ukraine tries to defy a de-facto Russian blockade on Ukrainian exports via the Black Sea after Moscow pulled out of a deal in July that had allowed Kyiv to safely export grain.

(Reporting by Olena Harmash; Writing by Tom Balmforth; Editing by Timothy Heritage)