(Kyiv) Russian strikes targeted the port of Odessa on Saturday, Ukraine announced, accusing Vladimir Putin of having “spit in the face” of the UN and Turkey and of compromising the application of the agreement signed the day before on the resumption of grain exports blocked by the war.
Posted at 7:19
Updated at 8:30 a.m.
Odessa is the largest city and the most important port on the entire Black Sea coast, and as such crucial for the resumption of Ukrainian grain exports.
By firing cruise missiles at the port of Odessa, the Russian president “spit in the face of UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and Turkish President Recep [Tayyip] Erdogan, who have made enormous efforts to reach this agreement,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Oleg Nikolenko said.
Mr. Guterres said in a statement that he “unequivocally condemns” these attacks, stressing that “the full implementation [de l’accord] by the Russian Federation, Ukraine and Turkey is imperative”.
“Hitting a crucial grain export target one day after the signing of the Istanbul Accords is particularly reprehensible and once again demonstrates Russia’s total disregard for international law and commitments,” reacted for his part. the head of diplomacy of the European Union, Josep Borrell on Twitter.
Ukraine has warned that Russia will take “full responsibility” if the grain export deal fails.
A spokesman for the administration of the Odessa region, Sergey Brachuk, said that two of the cruise missiles were shot down by anti-aircraft defense.
Strikes on the center
Central Ukraine was not spared either with a resumption of Russian strikes on Saturday which killed three people, after a lull in the fighting which focused on Donbass (East).
PHOTO SERGEY BOBOK, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Experts inspect a crater created by a Russian missile that hit Kharkiv.
Thirteen Russian cruise missiles launched from the sea fell near the town of Kropyvnytskyi located in the Kirovograd region (center), announced its governor Andriy Raikovych, specifying that railway infrastructure and a military airfield were targeted.
Before the strikes on Odessa, the African Union had “welcomed” the agreement on grain exports on Saturday, hailing a “welcome development” for the continent which faces an increased risk of famine.
The agreement should make it possible to export between 20 and 25 million tonnes of grain blocked in Ukraine.
The invasion of Ukraine by Russia – two countries which notably provide 30% of world wheat exports – has led to a surge in the price of cereals and oils, hitting hard the African continent which is very dependent on these countries for its supply. .
This rise in prices has worsened the situation of countries already facing a food crisis, particularly in the Horn of Africa (Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia, Djibouti) which is experiencing its worst drought in 40 years.
“Responsibility of the UN”
The price of wheat fell on Friday after the agreement, even returning to its pre-war price on the American market (Chicago), while on the European market (Euronext), it remained around 16% above the price of ‘before Russia’s February 24 invasion of Ukraine.
The signing of this fiercely negotiated text under the auspices of the United Nations and Ankara took place in Istanbul in the presence of Antonio Guterres and President Erdogan in particular.
The conditions are met for its application “in the coming days”, assured Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu shortly after.
Washington, which supports Ukraine against Russian aggression, has made Moscow responsible for the success of the operation. “It is now up to Russia to concretely implement this agreement,” underlined the number 3 of American diplomacy, Victoria Nuland.
Ukraine has shown itself to be circumspect.
It is now “the responsibility of the UN” to guarantee compliance with the agreement, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday evening, saying he expected “provocations, attempts to discredit Ukrainian and international efforts”.
SCREENSHOT
President Volodymyr Zelensky
“The agreement fully corresponds to the interests of Ukraine”, he however welcomed, adding that the Ukrainian military would continue to control “100% all access to the ports”, which Russia initially demanded the demining.
“Safe Corridors”
The main measure resulting from the agreement is the establishment of “secure corridors” to allow the circulation in the Black Sea of merchant ships, which Moscow and Kyiv undertake “not to attack”, explained a United Nations official. united.
It will be valid for “120 days”, the time to take out the approximately 25 million tonnes accumulated in the silos of Ukraine while a new harvest approaches.
The negotiators, however, gave up on clearing the Black Sea of mines – mainly laid by the Ukrainians to protect their coasts. The UN said that “Ukrainian pilots” would clear the way for cargo ships in territorial waters.
As for the inspections of ships departing from and heading to Ukraine, demanded by Russia to prevent them from being used to bring weapons, they will take place in the ports of Istanbul.
A few hours before the signing, the Kremlin had stressed that if Ukrainian cereals had to reach world markets, it was also necessary “to allow the markets to receive additional volumes of fertilizers and cereals” from Russia, the export of which was held back by Western sanctions. And obtained the guarantee that these sanctions will not apply, either directly or indirectly, to these products.