The Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, has “unequivocally” condemned the reported strikes this Saturday in the port of Odesa by Russian forces.
The attack took place less than 24 hours after the signing of the Black Sea agreement to allow export of grain from Ukrainian ports.
“Yesterday, all parties made clear commitments on the global stage to ensure the safe movement of Ukrainian grain and related products to global markets.
“These products are desperately needed to address the global food crisis and ease the suffering of millions of people in need around the globe.
“Full implementation by the Russian Federation, Ukraine and Turkey is imperative”, António Guterres said in a statement published by his spokesperson.
In Istanbul on Friday, Russian and Ukrainian ministers signed the Black Sea Grain Initiative to resume Ukranian grain exports via the Black Sea amid the ongoing war.
The agreement was meant to secure the transit of millions of tons of grain.
The Russian invasion, which began on February 24, has sparked record food and fuel prices, as well as supply chain issues, with mountains of grain stocks stuck in silos.
According to media reports, at least six explosions were heard in Odesa on Saturday morning, and so far, it is unclear what the strikes were targeting and whether any grain infrastructure was hit.
Meanwhile, Russian forces have reportedly destroyed a Ukrainian warship and U.S.-supplied Harpoon anti-ship missiles in the Ukrainian port of Odesa,
“A docked Ukrainian warship and a warehouse with U.S.-supplied Harpoon anti-ship missiles were destroyed by long-range precision-guided naval missiles in Odesa seaport on the territory of a ship repair plant,” Russian news agencies quoted the defense ministry as saying on Sunday.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy denounced the strikes on Odesa as blatant “barbarism” that showed Moscow could not be trusted to implement Friday’s deal, mediated by Turkey and the United Nations.
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