Dozens of drones were fired into the Crimean peninsula annexed by Russia. One hits a Russian Black Sea Fleet warship. The Kremlin describes the attack as an “act of terrorism” and withdraws from the UN grain deal.
Russia suspended the agreement to transport Ukrainian grain from Black Sea ports after drone strikes in Crimea. The reason for the “terrorist attacks” on the Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol, said the Ministry of Defense in Moscow. “In view of the terrorist attack carried out by the regime in Kyiv with the participation of British experts against ships of the Black Sea Fleet and civilian ships involved in securing grain corridors, Russia has suspended its participation in the implementation of the contract on export of agricultural products from Ukrainian ports. “
The ministry had previously accused the British Navy of providing instructions on how to use drones to shell the peninsula. According to Russian information, a minesweeper was also damaged.
Russia has been threatening for weeks with a possible halt to the grain deal that has brought Ukrainian food back onto the world market since the summer. In the past few days, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has complained that Russia is blocking the passage of ships laden with grain. He stressed the importance of these shipments in fighting world hunger.
Although the war continues to hamper exports, Zelenskyi recently said that Ukraine has exported almost eight million tons of food by sea since the Grains Agreement came into force. 60 percent of the amount went to Africa and Asia.
Most recently, Russia had threatened to stop the grain deal and block the Ukrainian ports again because, in Moscow’s view, promises made to Russia were not being kept. In addition, the explosives used in the attack on the Crimean bridge were said to have been smuggled out of Ukraine by sea. After the attack, Russia massively intensified the rocket attacks on Ukraine – and especially on the energy infrastructure.
