After terminating the cereal export agreement, Russia has announced that, from this Thursday, it will consider all ships traveling to Ukrainian ports in the Black Sea as potential carriers of military material.
Russia attacks the port of Odessa with missiles after terminating the grain deal
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“In connection with the cessation of the operation of the Black Sea Grain Initiative and the closure of the maritime humanitarian corridor, from 00:00 Moscow time on July 20, 2023, all ships sailing in Black Sea waters with destinations in Ukrainian ports will be considered as potential carriers of military cargo,” the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement.
“Consequently, the countries of these vessels will be considered to participate in the Ukrainian conflict on the side of the Kiev regime,” the department adds, noting that several maritime areas in the northwestern and southeastern parts of the international waters of the Black Sea “have temporarily declared dangerous for navigation.
Signed a year ago, the Black Sea pact unlocked exports and has allowed almost 33 million metric tons of grain and other products to be shipped safely from Ukraine to international markets to avert a global food crisis exacerbated by the Russian invasion. , after which international prices skyrocketed.
That is, the pact provided guarantees that ships would not be attacked when entering and leaving Ukrainian ports blocked by the war, and joint inspections were carried out in Istanbul to allow their passage.
This Monday, Moscow decided to carry out its threat and not renew the agreement, in a step that the UN described as “a heavy blow to people in need around the world.” The Kremlin alleges that the conditions for an extension of the already fragile pact that expired at midnight have not been met, while Kiev has opened up to continuing without Russian involvement, although any resumption of shipments without Russia’s blessing is likely to depend on of the insurers.
New attack on Odessa
The announcement comes after Russia again launched an attack against the Ukrainian region of Odessa with Kh-22 and Onyx cruise missiles that targeted critical infrastructure and military installations, the Ukrainian Air Force said in a statement on Wednesday. , in what is the second night of shelling against key ports in the export of Ukrainian grain.
The attack has hit a grain terminal and several civilians have been injured, according to local authorities.
“The launches of the Kh-22 and Onyx missiles were directed against infrastructures in the Odesa region,” says the Air Force report, which speaks of “critical and military infrastructures” as the main targets of the attack.
During the previous night, Russia fired 16 Kalibr cruise missiles, eight Kh-22 cruise missiles, six Onyx cruise missiles, one guided aerial bomb and 32 Shahed kamikaze drones from the south against the entire territory of Ukraine. Ukraine managed to shoot down 14 missiles and 23 shaheds.
According to the balance of damage offered by the Military Administration of the Odessa region, Russian missiles have targeted the port and have hit a terminal dedicated to the export of grain and other port infrastructure through which fuel is exported.
“The Russians launched their Onyx and Kh-22 (missiles) against the port and against critical infrastructure,” the report reads, adding that “a grain terminal and an oil terminal were hit” and that several fuel depots and cargo equipment were damaged. The attack has also caused a fire in the port area, adds the source. In addition, several buildings are damaged in another area of Odessa after the remains of an intercepted missile fell.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Agriculture has said that grain terminals and port infrastructure in the ports of Odessa and Chornomorsk, which are included in the Black Sea export agreement with the UN and Turkey, have been attacked.
Minister Mykola Solsky has said that a “considerable” amount of grain export infrastructure from the port of Chornomorsk, in the Odessa region of Ukraine. According to him, this port has lost 60,000 tons of grain that should have been loaded and shipped through the Black Sea Grain Initiative 60 days ago. “The overnight attack knocked out a considerable part of the grain export infrastructure,” Solsky says on Telegram.
According to the military administration, an industrial infrastructure has been hit by shells in the Odesa region. Two warehouses of the tobacco and fireworks industry respectively have suffered damage as a result of the attack. A civilian employee of a company has suffered injuries and firefighters have mobilized to put out a fire that spreads over an area of more than 3,000 square meters. In the attack Russia has also used kamikaze Shahed drones. The remains of some of them have fallen on several hotels and tourist facilities in a coastal area of Odesa. Two civilians were injured in this part of the region.
Second consecutive bombing
Russia already attacked Odesa at dawn on Tuesday with six Kalibr cruise missiles and several drones that caused damage to the city’s port infrastructure despite being intercepted by Ukrainian defenses.
These two consecutive attacks against Odessa occur after Russia announced on Monday that it will not extend the so-called grain agreement, which allowed Ukrainian cereals to leave through the Black Sea from three Ukrainian ports, including Odessa.
In the agreement, signed in July last year by Moscow with Turkey and with the UN, Russia promised not to attack ships carrying Ukrainian grain or infrastructure related to grain exports.
“Today’s massive and combined attack on Odessa/Chornomorsk has reflected with absolute clarity Russia’s attitude towards “food security”, African countries, the UN and the prospects of world hunger,” Mikhailo Podolyak, adviser to the president, tweeted. Volodimir Zelensky. “Russia deliberately and intentionally attacks grain terminals and other port facilities. The main objective is to destroy the possibility of shipping Ukrainian grain. These are direct attacks against civilian infrastructure and the civilian population. Attacks against the World Food Program”.
The military authorities of Kiev (north), Zaporizhia (southeast), Kirovograd (center), Zhitomir (west) and Kherson (south) have reported that part of the drones and missiles fired by Russia last night were directed against their regions.
