Russia attacks crucial Ukrainian port infrastructure for grain exports

2023-08-02 20:10:23

Several Russian drone attacks on Wednesday caused damage to the port infrastructure of Ukraine in it Danubecrucial for the transit of grain after the end of an export agreement with Russia.

Since Russia ended an agreement in July allowing kyiv to export grain despite the war, two small Ukrainian river ports bordering Romania, Kidneys e Izmaelin the region of Odessa, have become the main outlet route for Ukrainian agricultural products. Since then, Moscow has multiplied attacks against Ukrainian port infrastructure.

The Ukrainian authorities specified that these attacks “damaged” almost 40,000 tons of grains destined for export. No casualties were reported despite the attacks that caused a fire, the region’s governor, Oleg Kiper, said on Telegram.

The Kiev Executive, which provides very little information and does not allow access to these ports because they are strategic, did not clearly say which places were affected. However, the Izmail prosecutor’s office is in charge of the investigation, which seems to indicate that the destruction took place in this district. The port of Reni was also attacked on July 24 by Russia.

“unacceptable”

The bombardments in this area began after the end of the agreement that, under the auspices of the HIM y Türkiyehad allowed the export of 33 million tons of Ukrainian grains and oilseeds, despite the Russian invasion.

In this sense, the Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdogansaid this Wednesday to his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, in a phone call that “no steps should be taken to increase tensions in the war between Russia and Ukraine.” He also emphasized the importance of the agreement that he considers a “bridge for peace“, according to a summary of the conversation from the office of the Turkish leader.

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In the same call, Putin asked Erdogan to help Russia export grain to “countries most in need” due to food shortages. “There is a desire to cooperate in this area with Turkey,” the Kremlin said in a separate statement.

Moscow also announced on Wednesday that it has begun military exercises in the Baltic Sea, involving some 30 warships. During the exercises, the navy will practice protecting sea lanes, transporting troops and military cargo, and defending the coast, according to the Russian Defense Ministry.