Ukraine on Tuesday accused Russia of sabotaging Ukraine’s grain export deal since it came into effect a year ago, under a plan that also included attacks on the country’s ports.
The head of the secret service of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, Andri Yusov, stated that Russia’s withdrawal from the agreement was orchestrated “long before the formal announcement of this intention”, released by Moscow on July 17.
Yusov said Ukraine had obtained evidence that Russia had obstructed ship inspections and reduced the amount of Ukrainian grain shipped abroad while the deal was in effect.
He said part of the plan included attacks on infrastructure and storage facilities in Ukrainian ports, such as the recent attacks in Odessa.
Russia is a “global pirate” who is “fighting an absolutely genocidal war,” said Yusov, quoted by Spain’s Europa Press agency.
Russia justified its decision to withdraw from the agreement by blocking Western sanctions on the export of its agricultural products and fertilizers.
Sanctions have been imposed on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022.
The agreement that made it possible to unblock exports of grains blocked by the war in Ukrainian ports includes Ukraine, Russia, Turkey and the United Nations.
Kiev’s allegations are based on an alleged Russian report to officials in Moscow about sabotage measures.
Such measures “prevented Kiev from exporting about 20 million tons,” says the document released by the Ukrainian secret service on the Telegram social network and quoted by the Spanish agency EFE.
Ukrainian secret services concluded that the document indicates that Russia’s actions to disrupt the grain deal are part of a unique plan developed in advance.
Sources from the Ukrainian port city of Pivdeni have repeatedly imposed the sometimes total blockade by Moscow through inspections at EFE in recent months.
“The document shows that all actions to sabotage the grain deal were part of a single plan developed in advance and that the bombing of Ukrainian port infrastructure is just one step in its implementation,” the Ukrainian intelligence agency said.
Russia has been attacking Ukrainian ports in the Odessa region almost daily for a week now, especially the grain export terminals.
Authorities in the Ukrainian city of Mariupol also accused Russia on Tuesday of withdrawing grain from Ukraine to be exported as a Russian product.
“Grain remains the main product that the Russians transport by road from Crimea. Truck caravans are not declining,” Mariupol City Councilor Peter Andriushchenko wrote in Telegram.
Source: DN
