The allegations come amid fears of a global food crisis over Ukraine’s inability to export millions of tonnes of grain through its blockaded ports. Here’s what we know:
What are the categories?
Ukrainian officials have accused Russia of stealing “several hundred thousand tons” of grain from Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine. “I personally hear it from many silo owners in the occupied areas. This is a clear robbery. “And this is happening everywhere in the occupied territories,” said Ukrainian Agriculture Minister Mykola Solskyi in April. Earlier this week, a report in the New York Times reported that the United States had issued a warning to 14 countries, mostly in Africa, about Russian cargo ships loaded with what the State Department described as “stolen Ukrainian grain.” According to the report, the cable located three boats with the names he said were suspicious that they were carrying it. Kiev’s ambassador to Ankara, Vassil Bodnar, said Russia was sending the stolen grain from Crimea, adding that Kyiv was working with Turkey and Interpol to find the culprits. “Russia is shamelessly stealing Ukrainian grain and taking it out of the invasion of Crimea. “These cereals are sent to foreign countries, including Turkey,” he told reporters in Ankara. “We have appealed to Turkey to help us and, at the suggestion of the Turkish side, we are launching criminal cases against those who steal and sell grain,” he said.
What does Russia say?
The Kremlin has denied the allegations in a statement issued Friday stating “Similar, baseless allegations concerning Ukraine’s foreign policy have been made more than once. During a visit to Ankara on Wednesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was confronted by a Ukrainian journalist during a press conference. “I’m from Ukrainian public television, I definitely want to ask a question!” he said. “Apart from cereals, what other goods did you steal from Ukraine and to whom did you sell them?” the journalist asked. With a smile, Lavrov replied: “We are not blocking the wheat. “In order to leave the ports, Mr Zelenskyy must give the order, that’s all,” he added. According to the Russian government, the burden of demining ports before the resumption of grain shipments fell on Kyiv and Zelensky was accused of “categorically” refusing to solve the problem. Ukraine has said it will not mine the waters around the port of Odessa on the Black Sea to allow grain exports, citing the threat of Russian attacks on the city. Meanwhile, on Wednesday, a report by the Interfax news agency reported that the soils of the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia region were supplying grain to the Middle East. “We send grain through Russia and primary agreements are signed with Turkey. “The first trains have departed via Crimea for the Middle East,” Balitsky said in an interview with Rossiya 24. “It was a traditional market for Ukraine,” he added.
Why is wheat so important?
Russia and Ukraine account for almost a third of world wheat supplies. However, shipments of Ukrainian grain from the Black Sea ports have stopped after the invasion of Russia, with about 20 million tons of grain stuck in Ukraine. The war, along with Western sanctions against Russia, have pushed up the prices of cereals, cooking oil, fertilizers and energy. This in turn threatens the food crisis in the poorest countries, some of which rely on Russia and Ukraine for more than half of their wheat imports. Ukraine is also a major exporter of corn, barley, sunflower oil and rapeseed oil, while Russia and Belarus – which backed Moscow in the war and are also under sanctions – account for more than 40% of world potassium exports.
How did the rest of the world react to Ukraine’s allegations?
US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken has said the United States believes Russia is stealing and selling Ukrainian grain. “There are credible reports… that Russia is stealing Ukraine’s grain exports to sell them for its own profit,” Blinken told the State Department at a food security conference following the invasion of Ukraine. “Now Russia is also accumulating its food exports,” Blinken added. The United Kingdom, meanwhile, has called for an immediate inquiry into the allegations. The United Nations is trying to mediate an agreement that will allow the transfer of Ukrainian grain from ports such as Odessa. Russia has said it wants Western sanctions lifted as part of an agreement. The defense ministers of Russia and Turkey have discussed a possible grain export corridor from Ukraine, but the prospects for an agreement seem slim. African countries are particularly hard hit by food shortages and rising prices. They imported 44 percent of their grain from Russia and Ukraine between 2018 and 2020, according to UN figures. “The fact that this crisis has led to the suspension of exports from Ukraine, but also from Russia due to sanctions, we were between the two,” the current president of the African Union and President of Senegal Maki Sal told reporters. “It is absolutely necessary for them (the Western partners) to help facilitate the export of Ukrainian grain, but also for Russia to be able to export fertilizers, food products, but mainly cereals.”
