TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – Russia on Saturday, October 29, 2022, suspension of export agreements cereals of the Black Sea through the United Nations. The suspension of exports, according to Russia, follows a massive attack by Ukrainian drones against its fleet in Crimea.
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The Russian Defense Ministry said Ukraine attacked the Black Sea Fleet near Sevastopol on the Crimean Peninsula with 16 drones on Saturday morning. Russia blamed the attack on the British.
Russia’s decision to suspend the wheat export deal has been strongly criticized by US President Joe Biden. The suspension would reduce Ukraine’s grain exports from major Black Sea ports.
“There’s no benefit to what they’re doing. The United Nations brokered the deal and this has to be the end,” Biden told reporters in the US state of Delaware.
The deal allows grain shipments from Ukraine, which is one of the world’s largest exporters. Since the Russian invasion, grain exports from Ukraine have ceased.
Russia said in a letter to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres that it was suspending the deal indefinitely. The reason for this is that the United Nations cannot guarantee the safety of civilian ships traveling under the pact.
Russia also asked the UN Security Council to meet on Monday over the attack. This was revealed by Russia’s Deputy Ambassador to the United Nations Dmitry Polyanskiy on his Twitter account.
The UN coordinator for the Black Sea Grains Agreement Coordination Center, based in Istanbul, said five outgoing and four incoming ships passed through the humanitarian corridor safely. “There are more than 10 outbound and inbound vessels waiting to enter the corridor,” Amir Abdulla said in a statement. He added that there was no agreement between the parties for the movement of the ship on Sunday.
Britain on Saturday denied Russia’s allegations. Britain also said Russian claims, including that British naval personnel blew up the Nord Stream pipeline last month, were false. The Russian accusations are meant to distract from Russia’s military failures.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has said Russia’s decision to suspend the grain export deal makes no sense. The decision requires a strong international response from UN member states and the G20.
“This is Russia’s attempt to cause large-scale starvation in Africa and Asia,” Zelensky said in a video address Saturday night. He added that Russia should be excluded from the G20.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said Moscow was using false pretenses to derail the deal. “I call on all countries to demand that Russia stop the hunger game and renew its obligations,” Kuleba said.
In September, Russian President Vladimir Putin accused Ukraine of exporting more wheat to wealthy European Union member countries than to Asia and Africa. More than 80% of cereals are exported to rich countries in Europe and the rest to Turkey to be given to poor countries.
However, the request was rejected by Ukraine. Kuleba previously said Ukrainian wheat was shipped to Asia, Africa and the Middle East.
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Reuters
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