KYIV: The Ukrainian government has regretted that Russia has destroyed almost 300,000 metric tons of grain in attacks on Ukrainian port facilities, Western media reported on Friday.
In the summer, Moscow left a U.N.-brokered deal that had permitted exports of Ukrainian grain through the Black Sea safely.
Ukrainian’s Deputy Prime Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov in a statement said that Russian forces have so far targeted six civilian cargo ships and 150 ports and grain facilities during 17 attacks, destroying crops.
Russia attempting to worsen global food crisis
Kubrakov added this is Russia’s attempt to worsen the food crisis in the countries that depend on Ukrainian grain and other food products.
The damage to Ukrainian ports decreased the country’s grain export potential by 40%, he said. Russia has targeted port facilities on both the Black Sea and the Danube River. Ukraine is one of the world’s major wheat and corn exporters.
Kubrakov said 21 grain-loaded cargo ships have already used a latest humanitarian grain corridor in the Black Sea that Ukraine established in August.
He said that under the last U.N. Black SeaBlack Se Grain Initiative, Kyiv exported 33 million tonnes of grain, with 60% of the exports to African and Asian countries.
