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In the early hours of October 29, the Ukrainian side attacked the ships of the Black Sea Fleet with the help of drones, as well as civilian ships that were near Sevastopol.
According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the attack was carried out by nine unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), in connection with which the Russian military said that Russia suspends its participation in the grain deal. Seven autonomous maritime UAVs were also involved in this attack. The Ivan Golubets minesweeper was damaged and the integrity of the containment boom in Yuzhnaya Bay was violated.
As reported by Vedomosti, Russian representatives in Istanbul, where the Joint Coordination Center is located, were instructed to suspend participation of Russia in the grain deal for an indefinite period.
The Russian Defense Ministry also reported that the agency has operational data on the direct participation of specialists from Britain, who were stationed at the time in the city of Ochakov in the Nikolaev Region, in the preparation of this attack on the ships of the Black Sea Fleet and civilian ships. Moreover, the Russian Defense Ministry has information that members of the British naval forces planned and provided for implementation of the bombing of Nord Stream in the Baltic Sea on September 26 this year. Foreign military experts are investigating the incident, but the results have not been made public so far, although over a month has passed. Meanwhile, Russian experts are not allowed to participate in the investigation.
Now the export of Ukrainian grain has come to a decisive end, even if only for a while. Although it should be admitted that the grain was not exported to poor African countries, as it was initially stipulated in relevant documents and where there is indeed a shortage of food, but was shipped directly to developed European countries.
As known, Turkey and Ukraine signed an agreement on the export of Ukrainian grain at the end of July the UN. At the same time, the UN, the Russian Federation and Turkey signed an agreement on unimpeded export of Russian grain and mineral fertilizers to the countries in need in the conditions of sanctions. At the same time, Russia was included among the participants providing the so called green corridor for ships with Ukrainian grain. However, Russian authorities soon had to accuse the West of failing to comply with this agreement.
It is noteworthy that the terms of the grain deal were not complied with from the very beginning. The Russian authorities have repeatedly made the world community aware of this. Speaking at the SCO summit, as reported by Vedomosti, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the removal of restrictions was done mainly for European countries. According to the UN program, as Putin stressed, only 4.5% of agricultural products went to poor countries, while 35% were sent to Europe.
Earlier, Russian permanent representative to the UN Vasily Nebenzya said that the part of the food deal, which deals with the export of Russian food and fertilizers, is not working. According to him, as RIA Novosti reported, it is not ruled out that the agreement will be terminated. For his part, the head of the Ministry of Agriculture Dmitry Patrushev said that ships from Ukraine go to Italy, Spain and the Netherlands. Thus, according to him, from 60% to 100% of rapeseed, soybeans and corn go to the EU countries.
Meanwhile, the Russian Defense Ministry reported that the wreckage of marine drones, which were used to attack ships of the Black Sea Fleet, has been lifted. An examination of the navigation modules, which were made in Canada, was carried out. The Russian military department also established that the UAVs were launched from the coast near Odessa. The drones then moved through the security zone within the green corridor, and then, abruptly changing route, headed for the basing point of the Russian Black Sea Fleet ships near Sevastopol. On Saturday morning, according to the Vzglyad newspaper, the drone attack in Sevastopol Bay was repelled. Ukraine planned to destroy the ships of the Black Sea Fleet as the attack lasted several hours.
The UN was quick to respond to Moscow's statement that Russia was suspending its participation in the grain deal. TASS reported that Stefan Dujarric, spokesman for the UN Secretary General, urged countries to refrain from any actions that threaten the implementation of the Black Sea grain deal. At the same time, he noted that this humanitarian agreement is very important, as it makes it possible to provide food to millions of people.
Meanwhile, the UN, Ukraine and Turkey have agreed a schedule for the movement of 16 ships through the green corridor on 31 October without Russia's participation. In total, according to the Vzglyad newspaper, 21 ships with 700 tonnes of grain are currently in Ukrainian ports.
At that, the total volume of food, which was exported from Ukraine since August 1 under the agreement, amounted to more than 9.5 million tons. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian Ministry of Infrastructure reported that the movement of 218 vessels involved in the grain deal is currently “blocked.”