Cargo vessels carrying food grain sail from Odessa port to Ukraine for the

Odessa/Moscow: The vessels carrying food grains left for the Ukrainian port from Odessa on Monday after an agreement with the United Nations and Turkey. The ship will arrive at Lebanon’s Tripoli port via Istanbul, Turkey, in the next few days. This is considered an important step to overcome the food crisis caused by the Russia-Ukraine conflict. America, Russia, Ukraine, Turkey, and the United Nations have welcomed the development.

Ten days ago, Russia and Ukraine signed an agreement on exporting food grains in a program held in Istanbul, Turkey. Within hours of the deal, Russia launched a missile attack on the port of Odessa, raising questions about the agreement’s implementation. The United Nations, the United States, and Ukraine criticized this attack. However, Russia has clarified that the execution of the deal and the attacks on Ukrainian military sites are separate matters and that cooperation for the agreement will continue.

Two days before the grain shipment left Ukraine, Russia launched a missile attack on the residence of Oleksiy Vadaturskyi, a leading food grain trader in Ukraine. Therefore, Russia’s intentions were once again questioned. However, on Monday morning, the ship safely left the port of Odessa, indicating the agreement’s implementation. The ship Razoni is loaded with 26 thousand tons of maize to Lebanon in the Gulf.

The Turkish defence ministry said the ship would be inspected at the Turkish port of Istanbul before proceeding to the Lebanese port of Tripoli. Turkey also reported that around 16 boats with food grains are docked in the port of Ukraine, which would set off after this ship. Sources informed that a decision regarding the further voyages of the ships would be taken after the safe arrival of Razoni in Lebanon.

Both countries, Russia and Ukraine, are known as the breadbasket of the world. These countries are leading exporters of wheat, maize, and sunflower oil. Food grains are mainly supplied to African, Gulf and Asian countries. Food supplies were severely disrupted after the Russia-Ukraine conflict broke out in late February. Due to this, inflation has flared up in many countries, and a severe food shortage has been created.

Russia and Ukraine had accused each other of the situation of food shortage. Ukraine and Western countries blamed Russia for the disruption of the food supply. Russia claimed that the ships could not travel safely due to the mines planted by the Ukrainian Navy in the Black Sea area. The export of nearly two crore tonnes of food grains between Russia and Ukraine was stuck in this verbal conflict. Turkey and the United Nations took the initiative to find a solution.