Russia on Saturday suspended a deal on grain exports from Ukrainian ports, vital to the world's food supply, after a drone attack targeting its ships in annexed Crimea, which Moscow has blamed on Ukraine and the Greater -Brittany.
kyiv immediately denounced a "false pretext" and called on Moscow to "respect its obligations"
The grain agreement, concluded on July 22 under the aegis of the UN and Turkey, had allowed the export of several million tonnes of grain stuck in Ukrainian ports since the start of the conflict in February.
This blockage had caused food prices to soar, raising fears of famine.
Read alsoSoaring prices, shortages of wheat: the war in Ukraine threatens world food security
Russian President Vladimir Putin has ramped up criticism of the deal in recent weeks, pointing out that exports from Russia, another major grain producer, were suffering because of the sanctions.
Moscow justified this suspension by a massive drone attack which on Saturday morning targeted military and civilian ships of the Russian Black Sea Fleet stationed in the bay of Sevastopol, in annexed Crimea.
"In view of the terrorist act carried out by the kyiv regime with the participation of British experts against ships of the Black Sea Fleet and civilian ships involved in the security of grain corridors, Russia is suspending its participation in the implementation of the agreement on the export of agricultural products from Ukrainian ports,” the Russian Defense Ministry announced on Telegram.
“Moscow is using a false pretext to block the grain corridor that provides food security for millions of people.
I call on all states to demand that Russia end its hunger games and recommit to its obligations,” Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kouleba said on Twitter.
We have warned of Russia's plans to ruin the Black Sea Grain Initiative.
Now Moscow uses a false pretext to block the grain corridor which ensures food security for millions of people.
I call on all states to demand Russia to stop its hunger games and recommit to its obligations.
— Dmytro Kuleba (@DmytroKuleba) October 29, 2022
UK denounces 'false information'
Faced with these accusations, the British Defense reacted by denouncing "false information" intended to "divert attention", while a Ukrainian official suggested that "negligent handling of explosives" by Russian forces was to the origin of the incident.
Russian authorities say the attack took place in the early hours of Saturday with 'nine unmanned aerial vehicles and seven autonomous maritime drones', causing 'minor damage' to a minesweeper vessel and the bay's containment boom of Sevastopol.
Crimea, annexed in March 2014 by Russia, serves as a logistical rear base for its offensive in Ukraine.
Military and civilian installations have been targeted there several times in recent months.
An adviser to the Ukrainian Interior Minister, Anton Gerashchenko, assured him on Telegram that "as a result of the negligent handling of explosives in the Bay of Sevastopol, four warships of the Russian Black Sea Fleet have exploded, including a frigate and a landing ship".
Moscow promises up to 500,000 tonnes of free Russian grain
Shortly before the announcement of the suspension of the cereals agreement, the Russian Minister of Agriculture had once again criticized the text on television, accusing the EU countries of appropriating Ukrainian exports which should go to the countries poor.
These allegations had previously been denied by the coordination center located in Turkey.
Ukraine accused Russia of blocking ships in the Bosphorus Strait.
According to the Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, China, Egypt, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Iraq, Lebanon or the Maghreb countries are among the States affected by these delays.
Read alsoKiev accuses Russia of deliberately causing delays for 165 grain ships
“The grain agreement, unfortunately, not only did not solve the problems of the countries in need, but even aggravated them in a certain sense,” said Dmitry Patrushev, promising to deliver them free of charge up to to 500,000 tons of Russian grain.