Despite a deal to allow grain exports from the Ukraine, Russia is choking off exports from one of the largest grain-exporting ports, Pivdennyi.
The United States said this a clear violation of the deal
brokered by the United Nations to allow grain exports from Odesa, Chornomorsk
and Pivdennyi.
Ukrainian Deputy Renovation Minister Yuriy Vaskov said “They
(Russia) have now found an effective way to significantly reduce (Ukrainian)
grain exports by excluding the port of Pivdennyi, which handles large tonnage
vessels, from the initiative.”
Under the agreement, all ships bound for Ukrainian ports must be
inspected by a joint team including Russian inspectors. The Russian inspectors
have since April 29 refused to inspect ships bound for Pivdennyi, Vaskov said.
Pivdennyi is the largest port included in the deal in terms of
throughput. Restoration ministry data show it is storing about 1.5 million
tonnes of food items for future export to 10 countries, with 26 ships due to
come for them.
