Russia suspends participation in the grain deal

Russia is suspending its participation in a deal to export agricultural produce from Ukrainian ports, Russia’s Defense Ministry announced today in its Telegram channel, following attacks on the aggressor’s ships in Crimea.

“Taking into account… the terrorist act by the Kyiv regime with the participation of British experts against the ships of the Black Sea Fleet and civilian vessels involved in ensuring the security of the ‘grain corridor,’ the Russian party is suspending its participation in the implementation of agreements on the export of agricultural produce from Ukrainian ports,” the ministry stated.

In the morning, Ukrainian journalist Andriy Tsapliyenko reported about several explosions in Sevastopol Bay and that several warships were possibility damaged, including the Admiral Makarov frigate, which is Russia’s flagship after Ukraine sunk the Moskva cruiser. However, he said that this information requires an additional check.

According to Reuters, “Russia said that Ukrainian forces, with the help of drones, attacked ships from the Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol, the biggest city in Russian-annexed Crimea, in the early hours of Saturday.”

Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba responded to the Russian move with a tweet, “We have warned of Russia’s plans to ruin the Black Sea Grain Initiative. Now Moscow uses a false pretext to block the grain corridor which ensures food security for millions of people. I call on all states to demand Russia to stop its hunger games and recommit to its obligations.”

The Initiative on the Safe Transportation of Grain and Foodstuffs from Ukrainian Ports is an agreement concluded on July 22, 2022, between Russia and Ukraine brokered by Turkey and the United Nations.

Ми попереджали про плани РФ зірвати Чорноморську зернову ініціативу. Тепер Москва під надуманим приводом блокує зерновий коридор, який забезпечує продовольчу безпеку мільйонів людей. Закликаю всі держави вимагати від РФ припинити голодні ігри та повернутися до своїх зобов’язань.

— Dmytro Kuleba (@DmytroKuleba) October 29, 2022

Photo: UNIAN