Title: Moscow Accused of Food Terrorism in Ukraine’s Danube River Export Hubs
Date: [Insert Date]
In a shocking escalation of tensions between Russia and Ukraine, Moscow has been accused of conducting food terrorism after launching drone attacks on the Danube River ports of Reni and Izmail. These attacks targeted Ukraine’s grain warehouses and other facilities, posing a threat to Kyiv’s vital agricultural exports.
The four-hour-long assault, allegedly carried out using Iranian-supplied drones, comes in the wake of Russia’s withdrawal from the Black Sea deal earlier this month, which had previously allowed Ukraine to export its grain. Both Moscow and Kyiv had also issued threats to target civilian carriers visiting ports.
According to Ukrainian officials, overnight attacks utilizing 15 Shahed-136 drones caused significant damage to warehouses along the Danube River, resulting in six reported injuries on Monday.
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister, Dmytro Kuleba, took to Twitter to condemn the attacks, stating, “Russia hit another Ukrainian grain storage overnight. It tries to extract concessions by holding 400 million people hostage. I urge all nations, particularly those in Africa and Asia who are most affected by rising food prices, to mount a united global response to food terrorism.”
Governor Oleh Kiper of Ukraine’s Odesa region expressed his concerns, asserting that Russia aims to block Ukraine’s grain export entirely and create a global food shortage.
The recent drone attacks follow a series of Russian strikes on infrastructure associated with Ukrainian grain exports over the past week. Since Russia’s withdrawal from the Black Sea deal, there have been daily attacks, including on key port facilities in Odesa, which played a crucial role in the agreement.
Videos circulated on social media depicted massive explosions at Reni port, situated approximately 3 miles from the Romanian border.
Local police confirmed the destruction of grain crops warehouses, damage to cargo storage tanks, and a fire that broke out in one of the production premises, quickly extinguished.
The Black Sea deal, which necessitated inspections of ships before docking at Ukrainian ports, enabled the safe transportation of grain from southern Ukraine following blockades by Russian ships, preventing a global food crisis.
Reni, located near Lake Cahul, has become a vital shipping point for Ukraine’s grain exports since the collapse of the Black Sea deal on July 17. However, the Danube River can only replace 50% of the capacity of Odesa port due to its shallower waterway.
Moscow has justified its departure from the grain deal, claiming to have discovered remnants of explosives on a bulk carrier that crossed the Black Sea. The ship allegedly made a stop at a Ukrainian river port earlier this year, according to Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB).
Recognizing the significant impact of rising food prices in the developing world, Moscow has attempted to shift blame by accusing the US and EU of “weaponizing food.” Russia’s ambassador to Kenya, Dmitry Maksimychev, penned an editorial in two of Kenya’s largest newspapers, placing responsibility on these Western powers.
If Russia succeeds in hindering export via the Danube route, it would leave only EU-backed “solidarity lanes” for grain export through Moldova, involving rail and road transit.
The attacks on Ukraine’s Danube River export hubs have thrust the region into heightened tensions, raising concerns about the destabilizing effect on global food security and calling for international solidarity in response to this act of food terrorism.