The Kremlin says it has received “written assurances” from Kiev that the shipping route used by cargo ships will not be used for military purposes.
Russia’s defense ministry announced on Wednesday that Moscow will resume its participation in the agreement for the export of Ukrainian grain after receiving “written assurances” from Kiev that the maritime corridor used by cargo ships to carry grain will not be used for military purposes. are used. Russia on Saturday suspended its participation in the agreement after Ukraine attacked the Black Sea Fleet base in Crimea, Sevastopol, with drones and damaged several ships.
In its statement, the Russian military department assures that “Russia believes that the guarantees it has received from Ukraine seem sufficient for the time being and resume the application of the agreement.” According to the text, the Kiev authorities have pledged “not to use the agreed humanitarian corridor and Ukrainian ports in the interest of the export of agricultural products for military operations against the Russian Federation.”
Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told the Turkish parliament that “grain shipments will continue as planned from today at noon”. The agreement was reached on July 22 with the mediation of Turkey and the UN, whose coordinator of this initiative, Amir Abdulla, welcomed on Twitter that Russia is rejoining a pact that has made it possible to export 10 million tons of grain in order to the world food crisis unleashed by the war in Ukraine.
Despite Russia’s temporary suspension of the agreement, ships carrying grain have continued to sail from Ukraine’s Black Sea ports in recent days. “Civilian ships can never be a military target or be taken hostage, food must circulate,” Amir Abdulla wrote on Twitter. This situation prompted Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov to warn on Monday that at a time when Russia “cannot guarantee the safety of shipping in those areas, such an agreement hardly applies. And this takes on a completely different aspect, much more risky and dangerous.
So Turkey and the UN promoted numerous phone calls to convince the Kremlin of the need not to cancel the agreement, including Tuesday’s phone call between Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin, who on Monday demanded “real guarantees” of security from Ukraine. that the corridor will not serve to stage attacks. “Only then could we investigate the resumption of work,” Putin insisted.
The Russian defense ministry, citing an investigation by its specialists, alleges that Ukraine has used underwater drones allegedly launched by a ship directly in the grain transport corridor, allegations that Kiev has categorically rejected and considers a “false pretext” to suspend participation in the agreement. Another argument from Russia, which Ukraine also denies, is the alleged shipment of most grains to Europe and not to poor countries, which receive a small percentage of what is exported, according to Moscow.
Putin acknowledged on Monday that the latest massive rocket and drone bombings of Ukrainian cities and their energy infrastructure, which have disrupted water and electricity supplies, were “partial” retaliation for Saturday’s attack on the Sevastopol naval base. Although the supply has been partially corrected, Ukrainian operator, Ukrenergo, warned this Wednesday that new restrictions will apply due to the immense number of installations to be repaired.
According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Russian attacks have damaged 40% of the country’s power plants.
Source: La Verdad
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