Kyiv on Wednesday said Russia had destroyed 60,000 tons of grain meant for export in overnight strikes around the port of Odesa.
Russia has fired missiles at Ukraine's southern Odesa region for two nights in a row, hitting ports on the Black Sea after backing out of a grain deal that allowed the safe passage of cargo ships.
Ukraine's Agriculture Ministry said "60,000 tons of grain were also destroyed" in the port of Chornomorsk, outside Odesa.
It said the grain was meant to be "sent through the grain corridor 60 days ago."
"The grain infrastructure of international and Ukrainian traders and carriers such as [Ukrainian] Kernel, [Canadian] Viterra and the [French] CMA CGM Group suffered the most," the ministry said.
"The world's food security is once again in danger," it added.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said earlier that Russia was "deliberately targeting the grain deal infrastructure."
On Monday, Moscow refused to extend the UN-brokered grain deal that allowed for critical grain shipments.
Since exiting the deal, the Kremlin has warned of "risks" over the future of grain exports via the Black Sea.
The UN has argued that the world's poorest would "pay the price" of the collapse of the deal and Western countries have deplored Moscow's exit.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
