Russia blockade on grain ships in revenge for Black Sea drone strike
RUSSIA has blocked over 200 ships from leaving Ukrainian ports – even though some are said to be carrying grain for countries on the verge of famine.
In a move condemned by the United Nations and the West yesterday, Moscow halted its role in the Black Sea grain deal, effectively cutting off shipments.
The move came after Russia claimed Ukraine launched a ‘massive’ drone attack on its Black Sea fleet near Sevastopol in annexed Crimea on Saturday. It said British navy specialists helped to co-ordinate the attack and Canadian navigation systems were used.
However, the UK Ministry of Defence alleged that Russia was ‘peddling false claims of an epic scale’.
The deal – reached in July – has allowed more than nine million tons of Ukrainian grain to be exported and was due to be renewed on November 19.
Ukraine yesterday claimed a ship containing grain for Ethiopia was among vessels blocked. Infrastructure minister Oleksandr Kubrakov tweeted: ‘A ship loaded with 40,000 tons of grain was supposed to leave port today.
‘ These foodstuffs were intended for Ethiopians that are on the verge of famine. But due to the blockage of the grain corridor by Russia the export is impossible.’
His ministry said a total of 218 vessels were ‘effectively blocked’ by the decision, including 95 at sea and 22 loaded and stuck at ports.
US President Joe Biden branded the move ‘purely outrageous’, while Secretary of State Antony Blinken claimed that Moscow was ‘weaponising food’. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed ‘deep concern’, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed there was ‘an absolutely transparent intention of Russia to return the threat of large-scale famine to Africa and Asia’.
Mr Zelensky asked in a video address: ‘ Why is it that a handful of people somewhere in the Kremlin can decide whether there will be food on the tables of people in Egypt or Bangladesh?’
Ukraine’s foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba alleged on Twitter that Russia was blocking ‘two million tons of grain’ on vessels already at sea which was ‘enough to feed seven million people’.
He accused Moscow of resuming its ‘hunger games’ and said the Black Sea explosions were 135 miles from the grain corridor. Wheat prices on international markets are expected to leap today as a result.
Moscow claimed the drone attacks on its Crimea fleet had exploited the grain safe zone.
It said British specialists based in southern Ukraine had helped to train Kyiv troops to carry out the strike. Russia said the same British unit was involved in destroying the Nord Stream gas pipeline. Britain strongly denied the claims.
Moscow’s defence ministry further alleged that debris from the attack drones had ‘Canadian-made navigation modules’ and the Russian ships targeted were involved in ensuring the grain corridor.
Ukraine has denied it carried out the attack on the Black Sea fleet, claiming the damage was caused by Russia mishandling its own weapons.
The deal to unlock grain exports – signed by Russia and Ukraine and brokered by Turkey and the UN – is seen as critical to easing the global food crisis caused by the war.
The UN said that the agreement had brought down food prices by 15 per cent from their peak in March.
‘Food is being weaponised’