The agreement on the export of Ukrainian cereals, whose conclusion in July had relieved the countries fearing a famine, may have known its last hours, Saturday, October 29. Russia has announced that it is withdrawing, presenting this choice as a response to a drone attack against its fleet in the Black Sea which it says it has repelled this morning. She accused the United Kingdom of having helped Ukraine to prepare this maneuver, but also the sabotage of the Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipelines, an assertion swept away by London. Here is what to remember from this new day of war.
A drone attack against the Russian fleet
On Saturday morning, the Russian military claimed to have repelled a massive drone attack on its fleet in Sevastopol Bay off the coast of Crimea, Ukrainian territory annexed by Russia in 2014. All the drones were shot down and “no facility in the city was affected”, says the pro-Russian governor of Sevastopol. Russia has only identified one damaged vessel. But says that among the boats targeted were ships that help secure grain convoys leaving Ukraine.
The Russian Ministry of Defense assures, on Telegram, that “British specialists” helped the Ukrainians prepare for this attack. The British Defense reacted by denouncing “fake news” intended for “To divert attention”. An adviser to the Ukrainian Interior Minister, Anton Gerashchenko, questioned on Telegram the very existence of this attack, saying that a “careless handling of explosives” by Russian forces was responsible for the incident and had destroyed four warships.
Russia pulls out of grain export deal…
In July, under the auspices of Turkey and the UN, Russia and Ukraine signed an agreement allowing merchant ships to resume food exports from Ukraine. An important issue because Ukraine, like Russia, is one of the main producers of cereals in the world. Many countries, especially in Africa, feared that blocking exports through war would plunge them into starvation.
On Saturday, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced that Russia was suspending its participation in this agreement. And justified it by the attack of drones against its fleet denounced a few hours earlier. “Moscow is using a false pretext to block the grain corridor that provides food security for millions of people”reacted the Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kouleba on Twitter. “Russia is once again trying to use the war it started as a pretext to use food as a weapon”denounced the White House on Saturday evening.
The UN has called for this agreement to be preserved. Turkey, which plays a key role in its implementation, clarified that it had not been “officially notified” of Russia’s withdrawal.
… and accuses London of sabotaging the Nord Stream gas pipelines
Moscow has also accused the UK of involvement in the explosions that hit the Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipelines in September, causing leaks. “Representatives of a British Navy unit were involved in the planning, logistics and implementation of the terrorist act in the Baltic Sea”, accused the Russian Defense Ministry, also on Telegram. Russia has already blamed Ukraine for the sabotage of these pipes connecting its territory to Germany, while Western countries have expressed suspicions towards Moscow. An accusation swept away by the British Ministry of Defense, and to which French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne says she does not grant “no credit”. Russia says it intends to submit its accusations to the UN Security Council
17 billion euros in Russian assets frozen since the start of the invasion
Some 17 billion euros in assets of Russian oligarchs and entities have been frozen in the European Union, across seven member states, following sanctions against Russia in response to the war in Ukraine, the European Commissioner announced on Saturday. to Justice Didier Reynders, in an interview with the media of the German group Funke. These assets were held by 90 people, he said. These sums couldbe transferred to a compensation fund for Ukraine”if it is money “criminal”added this European commissioner.