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A worker cleans grain in Melitopol in the Zaporizhia region (archive photo): Ukraine accuses Russia of stealing from her
Photo: AP / dpa
According to the pro-Russian administration in the Zaporizhia region in south-eastern Ukraine, large quantities of grain are exported.
"More than 100 wagons have already been dispatched, and another contract for 150,000 tons has been signed with a grain dealer," said the head of the Russian military administration in Zaporizhia, Yevgeny Belitzki, on his Telegram channel on Saturday.
Ukraine has been accusing Russia of stealing grain for months.
Up to 90 tons of grain can be transported in a railway wagon.
The grain can only be transported by rail to Russia or to the Crimean peninsula, which Russia has annexed since 2014.
According to Belitzki, in addition to rail transport, shipping by sea is also planned.
"About 100,000 tons will be exported through the seaport of Berdyansk," he announced.
After invading Ukraine in February, Russia quickly seized the southern part of the Zaporizhia region, including the port of Berdyansk on the Sea of Azov.
However, the advance to the north was halted, which is why the regional capital of Zaporizhia itself remains under Kyiv's control.
Before the war, Ukraine was one of the largest grain exporters in the world.
According to information from Kyiv, more than 20 million tons of Ukrainian grain are stuck in the Black Sea as a result of the Russian attack and the naval blockade.
Ukraine is only gradually succeeding in establishing alternative export routes.
The uncertainties caused by the war have made many foods more expensive worldwide.
At the same time, according to Ukrainian sources, Russia is robbing grain stocks in the occupied territories.
Moscow denies this.
According to images from the US satellite operator Maxar, Russian ships have shipped Ukrainian grain to Syria, among other places.
Yevgeny Belitzki had already reported on Telegram at the end of June that the port of Berdyansk was ready to resume grain deliveries after a "several month's interruption".
In his posting at the time, 7,000 tons of grain for “friendly countries” are said to have been mentioned.
Later, however, the post was apparently edited so that it was no longer mentioned what exactly was to be transported by cargo ship.
mbo/dpa