War in Ukraine: Russia shells Odessa port despite grain deal

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Cereals in the Odessa region (icon image)

Photo: STRINGER / REUTERS

The agreement that is supposed to regulate grain exports from Ukraine is less than a day old.

According to information from Kyiv, Russia has now fired rockets at the port of Odessa.

"Yesterday, the agreement was reached on export by sea, and today the Russians are attacking the port of Odessa," said the head of the Ukrainian presidential office, Andriy Yermak.

Russia bombard the port city.

According to Ukrainian military information, two Russian missiles were intercepted by air defenses and two more hit the commercial port.

In the agreement on Friday, Russia pledged to let the ships sail through a sea corridor in the Black Sea and not to fire at them.

The ports involved should not be attacked either.

Yermak accused Russia of “hunger terror”.

The world must act.

"Effective sanctions against Russia and more weapons for Ukraine" are needed.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Oleg Nikolenko said the rocket fire cast doubt on the grain deal.

Nikolenko also said that Russian President Vladimir Putin "spits" his rockets in the face of UN Secretary-General António Guterres and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

The two politicians had made great efforts to reach the agreement.

Ukraine is calling on the United Nations and Turkey to urge Russia to comply with the deal, Nikolenko said.

If the agreement is not implemented, Russia will bear responsibility for the global food crisis.

Ukraine plans to export around 20 million tons of grain.

Politicians and the US ambassador have sharply criticized the attack

Bundestag Vice President Katrin Göring-Eckardt (Greens) wrote about the shelling on Twitter: "It's so terrible.

Yesterday so much hope because of the deal.

Attacks on #Odesa today.« Accordingly, the politician only visited the port of Odessa on Friday.

She has spoken to many people and I very much hope that everyone is doing well.

"What's the signature worth?" she asked.

Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir (Greens) also commented on Twitter that it would be good and important to export grain across the Black Sea.

Özdemir went on to write: "But I see it like my (Ukrainian) colleague Mykola Solskyj: need a permanent alternative route for Ukrainian grain."

US Ambassador to Kyiv Bridget Brink said Russia should be held accountable.

"The Kremlin continues to weaponize staple foods," Brink wrote on Twitter.

The attack is monstrous.

kko/dpa/Reuters