British Prime Minister: Russian strikes on Black Sea ports threaten global food security

Port on the territory of Mykolaiv, October 2020, archival photo NikVesti

Russia's attacks on Black Sea ports in southern Ukraine, which have become more frequent recently, threaten global food security.

This was stated by the Prime Minister of Great Britain, Keir Starmer, Reuters cites.

«Russia's indiscriminate strikes on Black Sea ports underscore that Vladimir Putin is willing to put global food security at stake in his attempts to force Ukraine into submission,» Keir Starmer emphasized.

The British Prime Minister noted that the attacks on the Black Sea ports in the south of Ukraine, which have become more frequent recently, are delaying the delivery of food to Palestine and other countries of the Global South.

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According to British military intelligence, Starmer said, at least four merchant ships were hit by Russia in the Black Sea between October 5 and 14.

«Putin is harming millions of vulnerable people in Africa, Asia and the Middle East as he tries to gain an advantage in his barbaric war,» said the Prime Minister.

According to his statement, the Russian strikes delayed the departure from Ukraine of a ship with oil destined for the World Food Program in Palestine, as well as ships with grain bound for Egypt and WFP cargo bound for southern Africa.

We will remind that as a result of shelling of Odesa on October 6, a dry cargo civilian ship was damaged. People were not injured.

And on October 14, the Russian army attacked the port infrastructure of Odessa with a ballistic missile. One person died, eight others were injured.

On October 17, Ukraine officially appealed to the International Maritime Organization to urgently send an international monitoring mission to the ports of Great Odesa against the background of intensified Russian terror.

Defense measures will also be increased in the seaports of Odesa, as well as personnel safety and infrastructure will be restored.