Martin Griffiths, the UN aid chief said on Monday that no ship involved in the Black Sea grain deal was transiting the maritime humanitarian corridor when Russia said its vessels were attacked. Rusia had said on the night of October 29 that its vessels in the Bay of Sevastopol in Crimea were attacked.
“No vessel reported an incident over the weekend,” he added.
“The corridor is just lines on a chart: When Initiative vessels are not in the area, the corridor has no special status. It provides neither cover nor protection for offensive or defensive military action,” Griffiths continued.
Ukraine is also called ‘bread-basket’ because of its significant grain exports. After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Dwindling grain exports from Ukraine had then raised the spectre of global food crisis. Such a crisis has a potential or worsening precarious situation of the global economy.
Watch | Russia pulls out of UN-brokered grain deal. How will it impact global food prices?
The United Nations had therefore brokered a deal that briefly saw safe passage of grain shipments.
However, claiming attacks on its vessels involved in transit of grain Russia has declared that it will no longer be part of the grain deal. United Nations has urged Russia to not leave the agreement.
Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24 this year. After steady success in initial months of the war, Russian forces have had to retreat in the face counteroffensive by Ukrainian forces. Ukrainian soldiers have been able to re-capture thousands of square kilometres of territory.
(With inputs from agencies)
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