Grain ships sail from Ukraine ports as Russian missiles knock out power across country
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Ships carrying grain sailed from Ukrainian ports on Monday despite Moscow’s suspension of its participation in a U.N. programme to ensure the safety of such cargoes amid an unrelenting war.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said his country would continue implementing the programme, brokered by the United Nations and Turkey in July and aimed at keeping the supply of food commodities to world markets flowing.
“We understand what we offer the world. We offer stability on the food production market,” Zelenskiy told a news conference.
But Moscow said it was “unacceptable” for shipping to pass through a Black Sea security corridor as Ukraine was using it to conduct military operations against Russia.
The Russian defence ministry said it could not guarantee security in the area until the Kyiv agreed not to use the route for military purposes – an accusation Ukraine denies.
However, the ministry did not say what Russia would do if ships continued to sail the route. It stressed that Russia was not withdrawing from the deal but only suspending it.
Moscow announced the suspension on Saturday after what it said was a Ukrainian drone attack on its Black Sea fleet.
