Russia warns of “risks” in the Black Sea

Russia warned Ukraine on Tuesday, July 18, that it wanted to continue exporting grain through the Black Sea, warning that there would be no more “security guarantees” After the end of the agreement signed in July 2022, which made it possible to transport nearly 33 million tons of foodstuffs over the past year, despite the war.

“In the absence of appropriate security guarantees, there are certain risks” appeared, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov warned. He was responding to a question about the willingness expressed by Ukraine to continue exporting its grain through the Black Sea, with or without Moscow’s agreement on the safety of ships.

In confirmation of this, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan, that the end of the agreement means that the northwest of the Black Sea, through which cargo ships pass, will become a region “Temporarily dangerous area”. Ministers explored other options for providing grain to the neediest countries.Russian diplomacy said in a statement.

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For his part, French President Emmanuel Macron considered that his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, had committed “Fatal error” by Food as a weaponbeats that Moscow decided “Starve countries already in difficulty”.

African Union Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat said on Twitter that he regretted the Russian decision and called for the resumption of the grain and fertilizer transfer agreement. “to regions that need it, especially Africa”. For the Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, Hundreds of millions of people face hunger. With the suspension of this agreement and will “pay the price”.

Moscow denounces the obstacles to its exports

Moscow on Monday signaled its refusal to maintain a grain agreement signed in July 2022 under the auspices of the United Nations and Turkey and has been extended several times since then, decrying obstacles to trade in fertilizers and other Russian products.

On Tuesday, Dmitry Peskov also accused Ukraine of using the sea lane opened under the deal “for military purposes”After Kiev hit the strategic bridge the day before connecting Russian territory to Crimea, the Ukrainian peninsula that Moscow annexed in 2014.

In response, the Russian Defense Ministry claimed on Tuesday that it had been destroyed by a missile wave “Facilities where terrorist acts against Russia are being prepared”as well as a place where marine drones are manufactured.

Before dawn, six Kalibr missiles and 21 Iranian-made Shahed-136 explosive drones sent by Russia to Odessa (South) were launched. “destroyed” By means of the Ukrainian anti-aircraft defense, for his part, the governor of the region, Oleg Kipper, announced on Telegram. “The debris of the devastating missiles and the shock wave destroyed the port infrastructure and several private homes.”He added without giving any indication of the extent of the damage.

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Odessa and its region are home to the three ports from which Ukraine, under the Black Sea Grain Initiative, can export its agricultural products despite the war and the blockade imposed by the Russians. In one year, the agreement made it possible for nearly 33 million tons of grain to leave Ukrainian ports, mainly corn and wheat, helping to stabilize global food prices and averting the risk of shortages.

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Even without Russia, everything must be done so that we can use this corridor [pour les exportations] in the Black Sea. We are not afraidUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Monday.