Ukraine has called for an urgent UN Security Council meeting after Russian strikes reportedly shut down traffic through the Black Sea maritime corridor during harvest season. The move comes as prediction market odds that Vladimir Putin will leave office by June 2027 doubled to 16.5% on Polymarket, a decentralized betting platform.
Polymarket Odds Jump to 16.5%
Polymarket, a crypto-based prediction market, now gives a 16.5% chance that Putin will no longer be in power by mid-2027. That's up from roughly 8% before the latest developments. The shift reflects growing uncertainty around the Russian leader's political future, though the platform's users are betting on a range of outcomes — from a negotiated exit to internal upheaval.
The odds are based on user trades, not expert analysis. Polymarket has become a go-to source for real-time probability estimates on geopolitical events, but its numbers can swing sharply on thin volume. The doubling suggests a notable change in sentiment among the small pool of traders active on the contract.
Black Sea Corridor Halted During Harvest
Ukraine's foreign ministry said Russian strikes on port infrastructure effectively halted all traffic through the Black Sea grain corridor. The corridor, established under a UN-brokered deal, is critical for Ukraine's agricultural exports, especially during the current harvest season. Kyiv called the strikes a deliberate attempt to disrupt global food supplies.
The government requested an emergency UN Security Council session to address what it called a violation of international law. No date has been set yet for the meeting. The corridor had been operating under a temporary arrangement after Russia withdrew from the original grain deal last year.
Ukrainian officials said the strikes hit near Odesa and other Black Sea ports, though they did not provide specific casualty figures. The halt in traffic threatens to delay shipments of grain and sunflower oil, key exports for Ukraine's economy.
The UN Security Council meeting is expected to take place in the coming days, though no official agenda has been released.
