The movement of Ukrainian grain transport stopped.. and widespread criticism of Moscow's decision to suspend the agreement
Russia: The marches carrying out the Crimean attack used the “safe zone” to export grain
The Turkish-flagged cargo ship Polarent carrying Ukrainian grain passes over a bridge upon entering the Gulf of Izmit, Turkey.
Reuters archive
Russia announced yesterday that it had found the wreckage of the drones that attacked its fleet in Sevastopol, noting that it used a "safe zone" to export grain.
While the movement of Ukrainian grain through the Black Sea was halted after Russia suspended the agreement on grain exports from Ukrainian ports vital for food supplies in the world, Moscow's decision was met with strong criticism from Kyiv, Washington and the European Union, while United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed his "grave concern" about Cessation of Ukrainian grain exports.
In detail, the Russian Defense Ministry said that “navy drones were moving in the safe area of the grain export corridor,” adding that they “lifted” part of the wreckage of the drones from the sea.
She indicated that the marches might have been launched from "a civilian ship chartered by Kyiv or its allies in the West to export agricultural products from the ports of Ukraine" without providing evidence.
The movement of Ukrainian grain through the Black Sea came to a halt yesterday, after Russia on Saturday suspended an agreement on grain exports from Ukrainian ports vital for the world's food supply.
The Joint Coordination Center in charge of supervising the implementation of the agreement confirmed that no movement of cargo ships carrying Ukrainian grain had been registered in the Black Sea yesterday.
On Saturday, nine cargo ships were able to use the sea lane in the Black Sea, and there are more than 10 other ships ready for that in both directions.
Ukraine's allies were quick to condemn Russia's decision to exit a U.N.-brokered deal to allow Ukrainian grain exports from three Black Sea ports.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stressed that the Russian decision "is not only for today, as Russia began to exacerbate the global food crisis in September when it began disrupting the movement of ships transporting our agricultural products."
"It is a clear intention of Russia to wave again the fear of starvation on a large scale in Africa and Asia," he added.
Ukrainian Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kobrakov said that Russia's suspension of an agreement allowing the export of grain from Ukrainian ports makes it "impossible" to leave tankers loaded with these products.
EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell urged Russia to reconsider, even as a Russian parliamentarian said Moscow was ready to "completely replace Ukrainian grain".
Yesterday, NATO urged Moscow to urgently extend the agreement.
"Russian President Vladimir Putin must stop using food as a weapon and end his war on Ukraine," said NATO spokeswoman Oana Lungescu.
"We call on Russia to reconsider its decision and to urgently extend the agreement to allow food to reach those most in need," she added.
The Polish Foreign Ministry said Poland and its European Union partners are ready to provide further assistance to Ukraine on the transport of necessary goods after Russia withdrew from the grain deal.
As for US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, he said, “By suspending the agreement, Russia is once again using food as a weapon in its war, which has direct repercussions on low-income countries and on global prices of food commodities, and fuels humanitarian crises and fundamentally dangerous food insecurity.”
Russia's ambassador to Washington criticized the United States yesterday for issuing what he described as false assertions about Moscow's decision to suspend its participation in the agreement to resume grain exports through the Black Sea.
A Turkish official said yesterday that the Ukrainian grain ships that have already arrived in the Istanbul region are still under inspection.
The official said that talks are underway with Russia on the status of the initiative and there are reasons for optimism.
For his part, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed yesterday his "grave concern" about the suspension of Ukrainian grain exports by sea, after Russia suspended its participation in an agreement that allowed the departure of these vital shipments.
"The Secretary-General is deeply concerned about the current situation related to the Black Sea Grain Initiative," his spokesman said.
He decided to postpone his departure to attend the Arab summit in Algeria for a day in order to focus on this issue.
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