2023-07-17 17:57:00
In October 2022, it had already been damaged by a truck bomb in an attack that Moscow attributed to Ukraine. Photo: AFP
Russia accused Ukraine of carrying out an attack on a bridge linking its territory with the annexed Crimean peninsula, in which two civilians were killed, according to Moscow.
“Today’s (Monday) attack on the Crimean bridge was carried out by the Kiev regime,” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Telegram.
A civilian couple died and their daughter was injuredspecified the Russian Investigative Committee, quoted by the Sputnik news agency.
“Two civilians were killed: a man and a woman, who were driving a car on the bridge. Their daughter was injured,” the Committee said.
Meanwhile, a source from the Ukrainian security services (SBU) admitted to the AFP agency that his country’s forces are behind the attack, carried out with “naval drones”.
“The attack on the Crimean bridge is a special operation by the SBU and the navy,” said the source, specifying that “the bridge was attacked with naval drones“.
The pro-Russian governor of Crimea, Sergei Aksionov, had reported earlier this Monday that traffic along a bridge linking Crimea with Russia’s Krasnodar region had been interrupted as a result of an “emergency.”
The bridge links Russia to Crimea, which Moscow annexed in 2014 and serves as a vital link for transporting supplies to Russian soldiers in Ukraine.
In October 2022, it had already been damaged by a truck bomb in an attack that Moscow attributed to Ukraine, an accusation that was denied by kyiv.
agreement terminated
On the other hand, the agreement on the export of Ukrainian cereals, which expires at midnight this Monday (6:00 p.m. in Argentina), “has ended de facto,” said the Kremlin, while assuring that Russia is ready to return to the pact “immediately” when its conditions are met.
“The Black Sea Agreement is de facto over”said the Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry Peskovto journalists.
Peskov assured that “Moscow will immediately return to the agreement as soon as the part (of the agreements) relating to Russia is satisfied,” reported the AFP news agency.
Signed in July 2022 in Istanbul and already extended twice, the agreement that allows Ukraine to export its grains through the Black Sea made it possible, during the past year, to remove about 33 million tons of grain from Ukrainian ports, despite of the conflict.
Photo: AFP
Moscow has been threatening not to extend it for several weeks, complaining about obstacles to its own deliveries of agricultural products and fertilizers, and assuring that the declared objective of the agreement to allow the delivery of grain to poor countries is not being met.
Following the Kremlin statement, Russian news agencies reported that Moscow had notified Turkey, Ukraine and the UN that it was against extending the deal.
“Russia has officially notified the Turkish and Ukrainian parties, as well as the UN Secretariat of its objection to the extension of the agreement,” the TASS news agency said, citing the Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova.
However, despite the latest announcements from Moscow, the Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan He again assured that his Russian counterpart wants to “continue with the agreement” on Ukrainian cereals.
“I think that, despite today’s statement, my friend Putin wants to continue with the humanitarian agreement” that allows the export of grain from Ukraine through the Black Sea, which expires at midnight, Erdogan insisted.
“My foreign minister must speak on the phone (with the Russian minister) and I will discuss with Putin as soon as I return,” Erdogan continued, speaking to reporters before flying to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar.
meeting in Türkiye
The Turkish president will receive Putin “in August” in Turkey, where, he pointed out, they will have “the opportunity to discuss all these issues again.”
“Perhaps until then, to move things forward, we can take action over the phone without waiting for August,” he said.
Germany urged Russia to prolong the agreement, saying it was crucial for food security.
“The conflict must not be carried out on the backs of the poorest on the planet,” said the German government spokeswoman, Christiane Hoffmann.
For its part, the British government said that the decision was “very disappointing” and that they were going to continue promoting the negotiations.
“If Russia does not renew the agreement, it will deprive millions of people of key access to grain,” a spokesman for the prime minister said. Rishi Sunak.
The president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyenwho condemned the Russian decision as “cynical”.
“I strongly condemn this cynical decision by Russia to end the Black Sea Grains Initiative, despite the efforts of the United Nations and Turkey. The EU strives to ensure food security for the most vulnerable populations “said the head of the executive arm of the EU.
For his part, the President of the European Council, Charles Michelsaid that the non-renewal of the agreement “will endanger food security and the access of populations to their provisions of cereals and grains.”
The EU, Michel said, supported the efforts of the UN secretary general to get an extension of the agreement.
Ukraine and Russia together produce a third of the world’s wheat and their exports are also key in products such as corn and sunflower oil, so the blockade on exports due to the war affected food security, especially in developing countries. .
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