After leaving the "grain deal," Russia has been consistently shelling Ukrainian agricultural and port infrastructure. While previous attacks targeted Black Sea ports in Ukraine, they are now directed at Danube ports. On August 2nd, in Izmail, nearly 40,000 tons of grain intended for Africa and China were affected by Russian shelling. An elevator, cargo terminal reservoirs, warehouses, and administrative buildings were damaged or destroyed. As a result, wheat prices in Chicago surged by 4%, and further increased by approximately 2.5% during the day.
Ten days ago, the Ukrainian port of "Renі" also experienced mass drone strikes by Russian forces. Explosions illuminated the sky in Romania, just 200 meters away on the other side of the river, one of Europe's major waterways. This was one of the closest points of conflict to a NATO member country since Russia began its full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022.
The Danube river ports of Ukraine accounted for about a quarter of grain exports before Russia left the "grain deal." Since then, they have become the main route for food exports. Russian strikes on Ukrainian Danube ports not only affect barge exports but also put additional pressure on railway and road transit routes through Romania and Moldova.
The purpose of Russia's strikes on Ukrainian ports is evident - to prevent the export of Ukrainian grain. Due to Russia's blockade of the Black Sea and shelling of port infrastructure, grain exports from Ukraine in July fell by 40% compared to the previous month.
After Russia's withdrawal from the Black Sea Grain Initiative, the Russian army destroyed over 220,000 tons of grain crops, 28 port infrastructure facilities, and five civilian vessels. If Russian occupying forces maintain this pace of shelling Ukrainian port infrastructure, within two to three months, there will be nothing left from Ukrainian ports. Ukraine will then be unable to export food, resulting in the population of the poorest countries being on the brink of survival. Therefore, it is necessary to promptly provide Kyiv with PPO/PRO to protect the port infrastructure of Southern Ukraine from constant Russian shelling and Putin's blackmail.
The Kremlin is not only trying to squeeze Ukraine out of the global grain markets but also undermining support for Kyiv in the EU, especially among Central and Eastern European countries, by disrupting the internal agricultural markets of EU countries.
Moscow must stop blackmailing the international community with global hunger, cease shelling of Ukrainian port infrastructure, and return to the implementation of the "grain deal." Russia bears personal responsibility for blocking navigation in the Black Sea and the illegal blockade of Ukrainian ports.
Source: latviatoday.info
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