Ukraine accused Russia on Saturday of launching missiles at the port of Odessa, a day after Moscow and kyiv sealed a long-awaited agreement to resume grain exports, blocked by the war, especially in this key Black Sea terminal.
Two cruise missiles hit the port infrastructure, thus overshadowing the historic agreement that both countries signed separately on Friday with Turkey and the UN, seeking to alleviate the world food crisis.
(Also read: Pact signed between kyiv and Moscow would alleviate the food crisis)
“The enemy attacked the Odessa seaport with Kalibr cruise missiles. Two of the shells were shot down by air defense forces. Two hit the port infrastructure,” said Sergii Brachuk, spokesman for the Odessa regional administration. So far Russia has not commented on this accusation.
The reactions were swift. Foreign Ministry spokesman Oleg Nikolenko stated: “The Russian Federation has taken less than 24 hours to question, with the missile attacks on the territory of the port of Odessa, the agreements and promises it made to the UN and Turkey in the document signed yesterday in Istanbul”.
By firing missiles at the port, Russian President Vladimir Putin “spit in the face of UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and Turkish President Recep (Tayyip) Erdogan, who have made enormous efforts to reach this agreement,” he added. Nikolenko.
(Also: Brother of a Colombian who died in Ukraine tells why he was there)
The Ukrainian official also assured that Russia must bear “full responsibility” if deal fails and the “world food crisis” deepens.
Antonio Guterres, for his part, “unequivocally” condemned the attack and emphasized that “full implementation (of the agreement) by the Russian Federation, Ukraine and Turkey is imperative.”
In that message it is recalled that “yesterday, all parties made clear commitments to ensure the safe movement of Ukrainian grain and related products.”
“These products are desperately needed to address the global food crisis and alleviate the suffering of millions of people in need around the world. Full implementation by the Russian Federation, Ukraine and Turkey is imperative,” the message concluded.
(You can read: How will the agreement between Russia and Ukraine to export cereals work?)
Along the same lines, the head of European Union diplomacy, Josep Borrell, called the attack “reprehensible”.
“Hitting a crucial grain export target a day after the signing of the Istanbul accords is particularly reprehensible and again demonstrates Russia’s utter disregard for international law and commitments,” Borrell wrote on Twitter.
EU strongly condemns Russian missile strike on Odessa’s seaport. Striking a crucial target for grain export a day after the signature of Istanbul agreements is particularly reprehensible & again demonstrates Russia’s total disregard for international law & commitments#StopRussia
— Josep Borrell Fontelles (@JosepBorrellF) July 23, 2022
The agreement sealed in Istanbul is the first major agreement between the parties in conflict since the Russian invasion began on February 24 and was eagerly awaited to help alleviate the hunger that, according to the UN, an additional 47 million people face due to the war.
This agreement should be a relief for the countries dependent on the Russian and Ukrainian markets, which represent 30% of world wheat trade, but is now overshadowed by the new attack from Russia.
*With information from AFP and EFE
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