Russia shells the port city of Odessa, despite signing an agreement with Ukraine for the smooth shipment of grain. But that doesn't stop the government in Kyiv from continuing to prepare for exports. She dares an optimistic prognosis.
Despite the recent Russian attacks on the Ukrainian port city of Odessa, Ukraine is expecting the first grain exports by sea within the next few days. "We assume that the agreement will be implemented this week," said Ukraine's infrastructure minister, Alexander Kubrakov. He was referring to the agreements signed in Turkey on Friday to resume shipments of Ukrainian grain blocked by the war.
The government in Moscow had previously said that it had attacked "military infrastructure" in the port city, but that this would not hinder grain exports across the Black Sea. "This cannot and should not affect the start of shipping (the grain)," said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. The rocket attacks are "not related to the grain export agreement".
The port was shelled on Saturday, just a day after officials from Kiev and Moscow signed two separate but identical agreements in Istanbul to resume exports of Ukrainian grain by sea. Western states strongly condemned the attacks. Russia initially denied responsibility for the rocket attacks in Odessa. However, on Sunday Moscow admitted that the Russian army had carried out the attacks. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said "high-precision" Kalibr cruise missiles had destroyed "military infrastructure" in the port of Odessa. Russia did not provide any evidence for this representation. She was not checked by an independent party.
Up to 25 million tons of grain are currently blocked in Ukrainian ports because of the war. Ukraine and Russia are among the world's largest grain producers. Before the start of the war, both countries together supplied about 30 percent of the wheat traded worldwide.
