France condemns Russian attacks on Ukraine's grain infrastructure

Russian drones on Wednesday damaged infrastructure at a Ukrainian port on the Danube, targeting facilities vital for grain shipments from Ukraine following the collapse of a key export arrangement.

Drone attack in Odesa region, Ukraine, early Wednesday, August 2, 2023. AP

Kyiv reported on Wednesday that Russian drones struck a grain elevator in the port of Izmail, just across the Danube River from Romania, damaging silos, warehouses and administrative buildings.

Food security

The overnight strike damaged nearly 40,000 tonnes of grain destined for Africa, China, and Israel, Ukraine's Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov said.

France said the attack "puts global food security at risk".

Paris also accused Moscow of "pursuing its own interest at the expense of the most vulnerable".

"Russia is once again deliberately putting global food security at risk by destroying essential grain export infrastructure," the French foreign ministry said, accusing Moscow of driving up prices of agricultural products.

Last night, russians destroyed 40k tons of grain in the Izmayil port of the Odesa region. It had to be exproted to the African countries, China and Israel. russia is a key problem, not a solution to global food security
Photo: Oleksandr Kubrakov pic.twitter.com/y18PNfKCwi

— Olena Halushka (@OlenaHalushka) August 2, 2023

Izmail is now the main export route for Ukrainian agricultural products via Romania, following Russia's withdrawal last month from the Black Sea grain agreement.

The deal had allowed around 33 million tonnes of grain to leave Ukrainian ports, easing fears of global food shortages created by the conflict.

Russia has been pounding the seaports in the Odesa region that were key for the grain exports granted safe passage under the deal.

Turkish mediation

Turkey, which along with the United Nations brokered the deal to allow Ukrainian grain through the Black Sea, urged Russia after the port strike not to take steps that would escalate tensions.

"No steps should be taken that will escalate tensions in the Russia-Ukraine war," Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told Russian leader Vladimir Putin in a phone call.

Erdogan emphasised to Putin the significance of a grain deal that he called a "bridge for peace", the Turkish leader's office said.

(with newswires)