Officials in Ukraine have said that 270,000t of grain have been destroyed as a result of Russian attacks on the country’s ports over the past month.
Russian drones struck Ukrainian grain storage facilities at the port of Izmail on the Danube River overnight (August 22).
Deputy Prime Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov said that this is the eighth attack on port infrastructure in Ukraine since Russia withdrew from the Black Sea Grain Initiative in July.
The deal brokered by the United Nations (UN) and Turkey in July 2022 had allowed Ukraine export grain from three Black Sea ports.
Russian has blamed Ukraine and its western allies for the collapse of the deal.
The Danube River has become a vital route for Ukraine to export grain to the rest of the world since the deal ended.
Grain
Kubrakov said that several private grain terminals, storage facilities and cargo infrastructure were damaged during last night’s attack on the port of Izmail.
He added that 13,000t of grain destined for Romania and Egypt were also destroyed.
No injuries were reported following the drone strikes.
As a result of the attack, the deputy prime minister said the export capacity at the port has been reduced by 15%.
“These are attacks on countries across Africa and Asia that are already running out of food as well as on global food markets, leading to a surge in wheat prices.
“Preventing further destruction is a task not only for Ukraine but for the world. Powerful defence systems for our ports are exactly what can thwart their plans. Ukraine is fighting and the world must fight with us,” Kubrakov said in a social media post.
Ukrainian Air defences reported that they destroyed 11 of the 20 attack drones launched by Russian troops into Ukraine overnight.