According to Reuters, grain ships managed to sail from Ukraine’s ports despite Russia pulling out from the Black Sea Grain Initiative, which eased Russia’s naval blockade to ensure the safe transportation of grains and foodstuffs. After suspending its role in the deal, which consists of escorting cargo ships through the Black Sea, international officials were expecting a blockade, but Russia did not reimpose it, continues Reuters.
Russia explained the decision to pull out of the deal by Ukraine damaging its navy ships in the Crimean port of Sevastopol, on Saturday. On Monday morning, the price of wheat had risen by more than 5% globally as a result of the announcement that Moscow was leaving the agreement, says Reuters.
The same source stated that one of the ships that sailed on Monday was contracted by the U.N. World Food Programme to deliver 40,000 tonnes of grain to Africa, which is suffering from a drought.
Amir Abdulla, the UN official who coordinates the program backed by the UN that escorts cargo ships across the Black Sea, tweeted that “the food must flow” amid this situation.
Civilian cargo ships can never be a military target or held hostage. The food must flow. #BlackSeaGrainInitiative pic.twitter.com/sqnIVMmyny
— Amir M. Abdulla (@AmirMAbdulla) October 31, 2022
The same source reports that Kyiv was attacked by 50 Russian missiles, 44 of which were shot down by Ukraine’s military. Still, this was enough to cause significant damage to energy infrastructures such as hydroelectric dams, which in turn resulted in leaving 80% of Kyiv with no running water and knocking out power and heat supplies.
Denys Shmyhal, the prime minister of Ukraine, reported that missile and drone strikes on 10 different regions of his country on Monday hit 18 targets, most of which were energy facilities, says Reuters.