By Sebastian Geisler
It is Putin’s perfidious game with the fear of hunger.
Russia blocks grain exports from Ukraine’s Black Sea ports. Their production normally ensures millions of people around the world access to bread. But after drone attacks on Black Sea Fleet ships in Sevastopol, Russia has refused to approve the exports.
Moscow is thereby increasing hunger in the world, said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. He called for consequences for Kremlin despot Vladimir Putin (70), wants Russia to be excluded from the G20 nations.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken (60): “Russia is again using food as a weapon in the war it started.” will take care of the world.
Because of the drone attacks, Russia suspended the July grain agreement (which was supposed to guarantee exports), and UN officials are now negotiating with the Russian authorities. “It is imperative that all sides refrain from any action that jeopardizes the Grains Agreement,” said a UN spokesman.
Background: The Russian Black Sea Fleet has been heavily attacked with remote-controlled aircraft and boats. Russia’s ambassador to the United Nations now claims his country “cannot guarantee the safety of civilian ships traveling under the above-mentioned initiative” because of the drone strikes, as he wrote to UN Secretary-General António Guterres.
Nine ships passed through the sea corridor established under the deal on Saturday, according to Amir Abdulla, UN coordinator for exports of Ukraine’s grain.
176 ships are stuck in traffic
Ukraine President Zelenskyy has accused the Russians of delaying the inspections of ships before they pass through the Bosphorus since September. There, 176 ships with about two million tons of grain were stuck in traffic.
Zelenskyy: “Why can a handful of people somewhere in the Kremlin decide whether there will be food on people’s tables in Egypt or in Bangladesh?”
Under a pretext, Moscow is blocking the transports “that mean food safety for millions of people,” Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba also criticized.
Swimming drones used
According to Moscow, nine flying drones and seven swimming drones – unmanned remote-controlled boats – were used in the night attacks on the Black Sea Fleet in Crimea. They were all shot down.
According to official information, the minesweeper Ivan Golubets and some port facilities were damaged. However, video footage purporting to show the attack suggests more ships may have been hit.