Russia suspends its participation in Ukraine’s grain export deal

Russia suspended its participation in a UN-brokered deal to export agricultural products from Ukrainian ports after attacks on ships in Crimeathe Russian Defense Ministry reported on Saturday.

Russia said Ukrainian forces, with the help of drones, attacked Black Sea Fleet ships in the early hours of Saturday in Sebastopolthe largest city in Crimea, which was annexed to Russia.

“Taking into account (…) the terrorist act of the kyiv regime with the participation of British experts against the ships of the Black Sea Fleet and civilian ships involved in ensuring the security of the “grain corridor”, The Russian side suspends participation in the implementation of agreements on the export of agricultural products from Ukrainian ports,” the ministry said in a statement.

The ministry had previously reported that Saturday’s drone strikes were mostly repelled, but there was minor damage to a Russian minesweeper.

The head of help United NationsMartin Griffiths had said on Wednesday that he was “relatively optimistic” that the deal, which allowed the resumption of Ukrainian grain exports across the Black Sea, would continue after mid-November.

Under the July 22 deal, Ukraine was able to resume its grain and fertilizer exports across the Black Sea, which had ground to a halt when Russia invaded on February 24. The export agreement was initially agreed for 120 days.

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