Russia, EU trade blame over grain
Moscow ramping up attacks in east: Kyiv
BRUSSELS: Russia’s blockade of Ukrainian grain exports sparked fresh tensions with Europe as fears grow of a global food crisis, while Kyiv accused Moscow of stepping up attacks in the east of the country.
In New York, Dmitry Muratov, the Russian editor-in-chief of the independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta, auctioned off his Nobel Peace Prize gold medal for $103.5 million (3.65 billion baht) to benefit children displaced by the war in Ukraine.
Since being repelled from Kyiv and other parts of Ukraine following their February invasion, Moscow is focusing its offensive on the eastern Donbas region.
Its navy is blockading ports, which Ukraine says is preventing millions of tonnes of grain from being shipped to world markets, contributing to soaring food prices.
Prior to the war, Ukraine was a major exporter of wheat, corn and sunflower oil.
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell called the Russian blockade “a real war crime”, which was happening “while in the rest of the world people are suffering hunger”.
Moscow denies responsibility for the disruption to deliveries and, following Mr Borrell’s comments, took aim at the “destructive” stance of the West for surging grain prices.
Growing concerns about a food crisis are “the fault of Western regimes, which act as provokers and destroyers,” said foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Kyiv was engaged in “complex negotiations” to unblock grain exports, although cautioned that there was no progress as yet.
In an address to the African Union, he also warned that the continent was a “hostage” of the conflict, and rising food prices “have already brought [the war] to the homes of millions of African families”.
With the European Union set to decide at a summit this week on whether to grant Ukraine candidate status — allowing them to vie for membership — Kyiv has warned that attacks are escalating.
Ukraine said it had lost control of the village of Metyolkine. The settlement is adjacent to Severodonetsk, which has been the focus of fighting for weeks and is now largely under Russian control.
A chemical plant in Severodonetsk where hundreds of civilians are said to be sheltering was being shelled “constantly”, Ukraine said.
Sergiy Gaiday — governor of the Lugansk region, which includes Severodonetsk — said the situation on the frontlines was “extremely tough”.
“Every town and village under Ukrainian control in the Lugansk region is under almost non-stop fire,” he said on Ukrainian TV.
Three people were injured and seven more missing after Ukrainian forces attacked oil drilling platforms in the Black Sea off the coast of Crimea, which was annexed by Russia in 2014, Moscow-backed Crimea leader Sergey Aksyonov said.
It was the first reported strike against offshore energy infrastructure in Crimea since Russia launched its invasion.
The city of Kramatorsk, about 50 kilometres from Severodonetsk, is yet to experience the intense battles seen closer to the frontline but residents are worried the conflict will reach them.
“People worry a lot about the war, everyone is stressed,” Valentina, a 57-year-old food vendor at a market, said.