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Ukrainian officials accused Russian troops of attacking the port city of Odesa on Saturday, the day after an agreement was signed to allow safe passage of grain exports.
“The enemy attacked the port of Odessa with a caliber cruise missile. Two missiles were shot down by the Air Defense Forces. Two attacked the port’s infrastructure,” Serhiy Bratuk, director of the Odessa Regional Military Administration, said in a telegram.
It is unknown at this time if anyone was injured in the strike.
Threats to grain export trade in Russia, Ukraine and Istanbul, avoiding global food crisis
US Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink condemned the attack and called it “outrageous.”
“Russia will attack the port city of Odesa within 24 hours of signing an agreement permitting the shipment of agricultural exports,” she said on Twitter. “The Kremlin continues to weaponize food. Russia must be held accountable.”
“Russia will take full responsibility for the global food crisis,” said Oleg Nikolenko, a spokesman for the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“It took less than 24 hours for Russia to launch a missile attack on the port of Odesa, breaking that promise and undermining the promise in front of the United Nations and Turkey under the Istanbul Agreement,” he said.
Russia using 85% of combat power in Ukraine: US senior defense officer
Russian officialsUkraine, Turkey and the United Nations signed an agreement on Friday to allow merchant ships to transport urgently needed food through the Black Sea during the global food crisis.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres endorsed the agreement as an “agreement for the world” as developing countries are tackling food shortages and famine following a five-month blockade of the Black Sea port.
Guterres downplayed the details related to the deal, but said three Ukrainian ports, including Odessa, Chernomorsk and Yuzny, would be opened to enable “significant amounts” of food exports.
Ukrainian naval vessels escort merchant ships, as details on the preliminary agreement suggested that the treaty would require a pledge by Russian President Vladimir Putin in support of the ceasefire.
The Ukrainian ship guided the merchant ship on its way to Turkey’s Bosphorus Strait by first clearing the landmine-infested waters.
However, while authorities praised the negotiations, some questioned whether Russia would actually respect the terms of the agreement.
US State Department Deputy Secretary of State Victoria Nuland welcomed the news on Friday, saying, “I think Russia finally felt the heat of the global turmoil, so this was together.”
“Currently, it is Russia’s duty to actually carry out this transaction,” she said from the Aspen Security Forum.
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Speaking to Fox News Digital before the treaty was signed on Friday, Rebekah Koffler, a former Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) Russian doctrine and strategy intelligence officer, said: For its proper implementation. “
“There is reason for Putin to use energy, and now food, as a weapon, in addition to missiles, not only during the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, but also as part of Russia’s broader geopolitical and security strategy. “She added. “Russia will use this deal as a means to force concessions from the West. This is a standard Putin guide.”