France has accused the Kremlin of deliberately putting global food security at risk after Russian drones strikes destroyed almost 40,000 tonnes of grain in an overnight strike on southern Ukrainian ports.
Russian kamikaze drones damaged infrastructure at a facility on the Danube vital for grain shipments from Ukraine following the collapse of the Black Sea Grain Deal.
“The Russians attacked warehouses and grain elevators – almost 40,000 tons of grain were damaged,” Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov said in an English-language post on social media.
Kubrakov added that the grain was destined for some African countries, China and Israel, and accused Russia of using Iranian drones to carry out the attack.
“These are the very ports that have become the foundation of global food security today,” he said.
France reacted furiously to the strikes, accusing Moscow of “only pursuing its own interest at the expense of the most vulnerable populations” and driving up prices of agricultural products.
“Russia is once again deliberately putting global food security at risk by destroying essential grain export infrastructure,” the French foreign ministry said.
Since pulling out of the landmark Black Sea grain export deal in July, Russia has intensified attacks on facilities vital for Ukrainian grain shipments.
The deal had allowed around 33 million tons of grain to safely leave Ukrainian ports, easing fears of global food shortages.
ISW Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, May 7, 2024
With the Black Sea route effectively blocked, the formerly obscure Ukrainian ports of Izmail and Reni on the Danube have become crucial to the exports.
“No steps should be taken that will escalate tensions in the Russia-Ukraine war,” Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told Russian leader Vladimir Putin in a phone call.
Erdogan emphasised to Putin the significance of a grain deal that he called a “bridge for peace,” the Turkish leader's office said.
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Comments (5)
The new green deal proposed by the west and europe will do
There were three Holodomors 1921 to 1922, 1932 to 1933, and 1946 to 1947. In total some sixteen million Ukrainians were starved to death / mass murdered. All done by communist russia and they are at it again by destroying 40,000 tons of grain. AND...the global south nations will continue to be the good little communist russian stooges they are.
Asking Putin not to escalate what do we see he's all about escalation. Now food is the target.
@Oslo, starvation and war crimes are Putins doing his thing.
It’s war and we all know war involves collateral damage. NATO is worthless and we just keep sending money. Let Putin do his thing and let’s get on with it. They are just prolonging the inevitable.
How can Nato countries keep a straight face and ask Putin not to escalate, when in the same breath they announce they are sending more weapons, Longer ranges and more destructive to Ukraine .Interesting to see the level of bias when you ready multiple publications.Europe based vs Asian
@Kevin, you seem to forget that Russia is the aggressor that invaded Ukraine for the sole purpose of enriching itself. Nothing to do with alleged security etc.
@Giles,
@Giles, How a Chinese coup in Mexico and providing modern arms, finances and training to the new Mexican army and cartels will be welcomed by US!? You are speaking nonsense, moreover those are Russian speaking territories.
@David, how small is your brain or are you deliberately trying to twist a narrative? Let's use your dumb logic; by your reasoning, every area that speaks the language of its former oppressor remains the territory of that oppressor. Think Spanish, English etc. And your analogy is just as dumb; the US hasn't unilaterally invaded a non-aggressive Mexico, like Russia has with Ukraine. I pity your miserable life, you lying sack of shit.
@Kevin, you're just another sack of shit trying to justify Russia's illegal war or you're incredibly stupid. I reckon you're both.