Russia tries to create artificial famine and blackmails world with it - Ukraine's Prosecutor General's Office
Photo: Russia has suffered significant losses due to the blocking of grain exports (Getty Images)
Attacks on grain infrastructure could trigger famine both in Ukraine and in countries across Asia and Africa. Losses due to Russia's appropriation of Ukrainian grain exceed 30 billion hryvnias, according to Yurii Belousov, the head of the Department for Combating Crimes in Armed Conflicts Conditions at the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine.
According to him, attacks on grain and port infrastructure have placed several countries in Africa and Asia, which rely on Ukrainian grain, at risk. Ukraine has been considered a key supplier for the World Food Programme.
Nature of Russian attacks
Belousov discussed two distinct phases of Russian attacks on agricultural infrastructure linked to the grain deal.
He noted that before the signing of the agreement, shelling was conducted using artillery systems in frontline zones, with the most affected areas being Mykolaiv (59 hits) and Kherson (78 hits).
After Ukraine rejected the aggressive conditions set by Russia, the scale of attacks began to widen.
"Primarily, the target became Odesa and the Odesa region, which has the most powerful and developed infrastructure. Since then, Russia has begun using a wide range of various munitions, including Shahed drones, Iskanders, tactical aviation missiles, and naval and ground-launched missiles," Belousov stated.
He emphasized that this indicates a well-coordinated policy by Russia, as such attacks involve various military branches, with synchronized decisions made by the highest military-political leadership in Russia.
Famine as genocide
The department head believes that Russia is also attempting to deprive Ukrainians of their means of existence. They aim to steal grain, and when that fails, destroy it.
He added that as of today, losses incurred by Ukraine due to grain appropriation are preliminarily estimated at over 30 billion hryvnias.
"Considering the scale of such crimes, it is evident that there is, at a minimum, a clear trace of a crime against humanity, and in a broader perspective, one of the elements of genocide associated with creating conditions for the physical destruction of a nation. This concerns depriving a nation of the means for survival, given the potential that grain holds," Belousov remarked.
Grain deal
With the onset of the full-scale war, Russia began blockading Ukrainian seaports. To unblock the ports, Türkiye, the UN, Ukraine, and Russia signed an agreement on a grain corridor in the Black Sea.
The agreement was extended several times, with Moscow refusing to continue the operation of the grain corridor each time.
In the summer of 2023, Russia exited the grain deal, citing alleged non-fulfillment of its requirements. Following this, Russian troops began shelling the port infrastructure of Odesa and other Black Sea ports.
However, Ukraine later managed to restore maritime corridors for the transport of grain and humanitarian supplies.
In six months of the Black Sea grain corridor's operation, 661 vessels exported over 20 million tons of cargo from Odesa ports to 32 countries worldwide.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that over the year of the grain corridor's operation, 70 million tons of cargo were exported.
This summer, Türkiye expressed its intention to restore the grain deal.
