Is it another cynical game by Russian President Vladimir Putin? Just a day after the agreement on the export of Ukrainian grain across the Black Sea, Russia fired rockets at the port of Odessa, according to information from Kyiv. "Yesterday, the export by sea was agreed, and today the Russians are attacking the port of Odessa," said the head of the Ukrainian presidential office, Andriy Yermak, on Saturday. Russia bombard the port city. According to the Ukrainian military, two Russian missiles were intercepted by anti-aircraft defenses and two more hit the commercial port.
In the agreement on Friday, Russia pledged to let the ships sail through a sea corridor and not to fire at them. The ports involved should also not be attacked. Yermak accused Russia of "hunger terror". "The world must act." "Effective sanctions against Russia and more weapons for Ukraine" are needed.
The rocket fire cast doubt on the agreement on the export of millions of tons of grain from Ukraine, Foreign Ministry spokesman Oleh Nikolenko said in Kyiv. Russian President Vladimir Putin "spits" his rockets in the face of UN Secretary-General António Guterres and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The two went to great lengths to reach the agreement.
Ukraine is calling on the United Nations and Turkey to urge Russia to comply with the deal, Nikolenko said. If the agreement is not implemented, Russia will bear responsibility for the global food crisis. Ukraine plans to export around 20 million tons of grain.
Bundestag Vice President Katrin Göring-Eckardt (Greens) wrote on Twitter: "It's so terrible. Yesterday so much hope because of the agreement. Today attacks on
Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir (Greens) also tweeted: "Yesterday: Erdogan mediates
UN Secretary-General Guterres, who campaigned for the grain deal, also condemned the rocket fire at the port. On Friday, all parties at the global level made a clear commitment to ensure the safe export of Ukrainian grain, Guterres stressed. "Full implementation by the Russian Federation, Ukraine and Turkey is imperative," he said in a statement.
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell tweeted: "Hiting a key grain export target a day after the signing of the Istanbul Accords is particularly reprehensible and demonstrates once again Russia's total disregard for international law and obligations."
