Again and again Russia threatens to stop the grain agreement. An attack on the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea is now being used by Moscow as a reason. Ukraine has sharply criticized the suspension of the deal and accuses the Kremlin of blackmail. Meanwhile, the UN is trying to mediate.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has criticized Russia's suspension of the agreement on the transportation of Ukrainian grain. Under a pretext, Moscow is blocking the transports "that mean food security for millions of people," Kuleba wrote on Twitter. "I call on all states to demand that Russia stop its 'Hunger Games' and return to its commitments." Ukraine has long warned that Moscow could withdraw from the agreement.
Russia has suspended agreements on Ukrainian grain exports over a drone attack on the Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol. Moscow called this an "act of terrorism" and blamed Ukraine. Ukrainian forces have launched air and sea attacks against the Russian Black Sea Fleet under cover of the humanitarian corridor for grain exports by ship, the Foreign Ministry said. In connection with these attacks, which Ukraine carried out under the guidance of British specialists, the Russian side can no longer guarantee the safety of civilian grain ships, the ministry said.
The Ukrainian president's chief of staff, on the other hand, accused Russia of "extortion" and "fictitious terrorist attacks" on its own facilities. "The primitiveness of Russian blackmail (can) be seen in everything. Nuclear blackmail, energy, food," writes top Ukrainian presidential official Andriy Yermak on Telegram. Russia reports "fictitious terrorist attacks on its own facilities".
Meanwhile, the United Nations does not want to give up hope that the grain agreement will continue. A UN spokesman in New York said the reports about the suspension had been seen. "We are in contact with the Russian authorities on this matter," it said. "It is imperative that all sides refrain from any action that jeopardizes the Grains Agreement, which is a crucial humanitarian effort that is clearly having a positive impact on access to food for millions of people worldwide."
In July, Russia, mediated by the UN and Turkey, agreed to grain exports, but always threatened to scrap the four-month agreement. Moscow has long complained that part of the summer agreement is not being implemented. In the agreement, Russia agreed to end the blockade of Ukrainian seaports for grain exports, but in return demanded relief for its own exports of fertilizers and food. Russia and Ukraine are both major grain exporters, earning billions from exports.
