Russia suspends implementation of grain deal indefinitely - Russian Foreign Ministry statement
MOSCOW. Oct 31 (Interfax) - Moscow has decided to suspend the Black Sea initiative to export Ukrainian agricultural products for an indefinite period after Ukrainian drones attacked the Black Sea Fleet ships in Sevastopol, the Russian Foreign Ministry stated on its website on Saturday evening.
"On October 29, Ukrainian armed forces, under the cover of the humanitarian corridor created in the framework of the realization of the 'Black Sea initiative' to remove Ukrainian agricultural products, launched massive air and sea strikes using unmanned vehicles against the ships and infrastructure of Russia's Black Sea Fleet at the naval base in Sevastopol," the statement said.
"In relation to the actions of the Ukrainian armed forces, which were directed by British specialists, and also targeted the Russian vessels ensuring the function of said humanitarian corridor (which cannot be qualified other than as terrorist attack), the Russian side cannot guarantee the safety for the civilian bulk carriers participating in the 'Black Sea initiative,' and is suspending its implementation from today indefinitely. Relevant instructions have been given to the Russian representatives at the Joint coordinating center in Istanbul which monitors the transportation of Ukrainian foodstuffs," the statement said.
Russia's Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN Dmitry Polyansky said that Russia has requested a UN Security Council meeting on October 31 in relation to Ukrainian drone attacks on Black Sea Fleet ships and Moscow's suspending its participation in the Istanbul grain initiative.
"In light of the attack carried out by Ukraine on October 29 against the Black Sea Fleet ships providing safety for the vessels, which deliver Ukrainian grain under the so-called Black Sea initiative, our Permanent Mission has notified the UN Secretary-General about Russia suspending its participation in it," Polyansky said on Telegram.
"[Moscow] requested a UN SC meeting on the matter for Monday, October 31," he said.
"The Russian side is suspending the initiative for an indefinite period. Relevant instructions have been given to the Russian representatives at the Joint Coordination Center responsible for the implementation of the initiative," Russian Permanent Representative to the UN Vasily Nebenzya said in a letter seen by Interfax.
The letter has been sent to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and his deputy for humanitarian affairs Martin Griffiths.
Meanwhile, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko said on Sunday that Moscow is planning contacts with Turkey and the United Nations over the situation surrounding the grain deal in the near future.
"We will probably have contacts with both the UN and Turkey, which are the parties to the Istanbul deal. I think these contacts will take place in the next few days," he told reporters in Moscow.
In his turn, Russian Agriculture Minister Dmitry Patrushev said on Saturday that Russia is ready to supply the poorest countries with up to 500,000 tonnes of grain free of charge in the next fourth months and, in general, to replace all Ukrainian grain on the global market for an acceptable price.
"Considering that Russia always was and remains a reliable partner and is ready to provide the world with the required volume of foodstuffs, our country is ready to supply the poorest countries with up to 500,000 tonnes of grain crops gratis over the next four months. Including our doing so with the participation of our reliable partner - Turkey," Patrushev told Rossiya 24 (VGTRK) television channel.
"If you look at the situation as a whole, then with the current year harvest the Russian Federation is fully ready to substitute the Ukrainian grain and carry out deliveries at acceptable prices to all interested countries," he said.
"Not only has [the grain deal] failed to resolve the problems of the destitute countries, but it has even exacerbated them in some sense," the minister said.
"We see where the vessels from Ukraine are going: Italy, Spain, the Netherlands. <...> For some goods, particularly rapeseed, corn, soya beans, the EU countries have a share of between 60% and 100%. They are not the countries that are really desperate for food, they used to buy Ukrainian products before," he said.
Furthermore, the shipments carried out under the grain deal were insubstantial and had no marked impact on the global situation, the minister said. The Agriculture Ministry estimates that 500,000 tonnes of grain have been delivered to the poorest countries in just a little over three months. Most of that was paid for to Ukraine out of their own pockets, Patrushev said.
Russia already harvested 150 million tonnes of grain, he said, putting the country's export potential in the current season at over 50 million tonnes.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian media reported, citing the Ukrainian Infrastructure Ministry, that, as of Sunday, the passage of 218 vessels involved in the grain initiative was actually blocked due to the lack of permission from the Joint Coordination Center to pass through the safe corridor and conduct inspections.
According to the ministry's social media message, 95 of these vessels are loaded, and have already left the Ukrainian ports and are awaiting an inspection to be dispatched to the final consumer, 101 vessels are awaiting an inspection of their calls at the Ukrainian ports, and 22 loaded vessels are waiting to leave the Ukrainian ports.
