For the third night in a row, Russia attacked port infrastructure in southern Ukraine, after Moscow announced, on Monday, that the grain export deal was suspended. Under this understanding, the Kremlin allowed Ukrainian grain to flow through the Black Sea and not attack infrastructure related to agricultural production and export.
“Aggressors have returned to attack the southern part of Ukraine,” the Air Force statement said. “This time the targets of the Odessa and Mykolaiv missiles”Added this military branch.
A Russian airstrike on the Ukrainian port city of Mykolayiv injured 18 people, local officials said. The governor of the region, Vitaly Kim, confirmed that nine people were injured, including five children, They were taken to the hospital.
Other air raids were carried out on the port of Odessa.
The attack also took place through drone In Russia-annexed Crimea, this Killed a young manAccording to Russian officials.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Moscow of deliberately targeting grain export infrastructure.
Apart from the 19 missiles, Russia launched 19 missiles Kamikaze drones Shahed, Iranian production, against Ukrainian territory. According to the country’s air force, five missiles and 13 Drones.
In a speech last night, Zelensky urged the Allies to deploy more anti-aircraft systems to protect cities and ports.
Wednesday’s missile attack destroyed several silos at the port of Chornomorsk in the Odesa region, one of three ports on the Black Sea through which Ukraine exports grain..
Ukraine has denounced Russian attacks on ports and the suspension of a grain deal as an attempt to fuel food riots in Africa and Asia, which could fuel a refugee crisis affecting Kiev’s allies in Western Europe, continents that rely heavily on Ukrainian grain.climbing Ships carrying grain became targets
Moscow’s withdrawal from Ukraine’s grain export deal and safe passage through the Black Sea not only puts Africa at risk of increasing food insecurity, but world supply problems are already fueling a spike in wheat prices.
Russia has now warned that any ships carrying grain will be seen as military targets.
“From midnight Moscow time on July 20, 2023 [quarta-feira, 22h00 em Lisboa]”All ships sailing through the Black Sea to Ukrainian ports are considered potential carriers of military cargo,” the Russian Defense Ministry reiterated, as quoted by the BBC.
“The flag positions of such vessels shall be deemed to be involved in the Ukrainian conflict on the part of the Kiev regime.”he added.
For its part, Kiev has urged other countries in the Black Sea region to step in to ensure the safe passage of cargo ships.
Russia intends to turn Ukrainian grain-carrying countries into warring factions by trapping them. A White House spokesman has already come forward to allege that Moscow plans to blame Ukraine for attacks on civilian ships.
Marex Capital analyst Charlie Sernatinger noted This kind of escalation “could cut off Black Sea grain exports to both Russia and Ukraine,” which would result in a situation similar to the outbreak of war.
And on Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin accused the West of using the grain deal as “political blackmail.” He accused Ukraine of using the Black Sea grain route for “war purposes”.
But Putin recalled that he would resume the grain deal once Moscow’s demands were met. One of the key points is the reintegration of the Agricultural Bank of Russia into the global payment system.
Russia began attacking Ukraine’s ports early Tuesday morning, shortly after withdrawing from the deal.
Ukrainian Agriculture Minister Mykola Solsky said the Russian attacks destroyed 60,000 tons of grain and damaged significant parts of the grain export infrastructure.
About 60 thousand tons should be exported to China.
In a statement, the colonel, who owns the damaged infrastructure, says that if Russian attacks on ports continue, grain prices could rise by 30 to 40 percent.
Silos damaged in Odessa after Russian attack | Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine via Reuters
Wheat prices in European markets rose 8.2 percent from the previous day on Wednesday to 253.75 euros a tonne, while corn prices rose 5.4 percent.
In the US, wheat rose 8.5 percent on Wednesday, marking its biggest daily gain since the start of the conflict in February 2022.
w/ agencies
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