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| Ukraine war: Putin suspends Black Sea grain exports deal | Ukraine war: Putin suspends Black Sea grain exports deal |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| President Vladimir Putin has said Russia is suspending - but not ending - its participation in a major deal that allows safe passage to vessels carrying Ukrainian grain exports. | |
| Moscow pulled out of the UN-brokered agreement on Saturday, alleging that Ukraine had used a safety corridor in the Black Sea to attack its fleet. | Moscow pulled out of the UN-brokered agreement on Saturday, alleging that Ukraine had used a safety corridor in the Black Sea to attack its fleet. |
| The UN says there were no ships inside the corridor that night. | The UN says there were no ships inside the corridor that night. |
| Ukraine has not claimed responsibility for the attack. | Ukraine has not claimed responsibility for the attack. |
| Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the deal would be honoured and accused Russia of "blackmailing the world with hunger" - a claim Russia denies. | Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the deal would be honoured and accused Russia of "blackmailing the world with hunger" - a claim Russia denies. |
| Despite the fallout, three vessels loaded with grain left Ukrainian ports on Tuesday, the UN-led co-ordination centre said. | |
| "The movement of these vessels has been agreed by the Ukrainian, Turkish and UN delegations... The Russian delegation has been informed," the Istanbul-based centre told the AFP news agency. | |
| On Monday, 12 ships containing 354,500 tonnes of food, including grain, sailed from Ukraine, the country's infrastructure ministry said. This constituted a record volume of exports since the grain deal began, said a spokesperson for Odesa's military administration quoted by Reuters. | |
| One of the vessels carrying 40,000 tonnes of grain was destined for Ethiopia, where "the real possibility of mass starvation" existed, the ministry added. | |
| How much grain has been shipped from Ukraine? | How much grain has been shipped from Ukraine? |
| After Russia invaded Ukraine in February, its navy imposed a blockade on Ukraine's Black Sea ports, trapping about 20 million tonnes of grain meant for export inside the country, along with other foodstuffs such as maize and sunflower oil. | After Russia invaded Ukraine in February, its navy imposed a blockade on Ukraine's Black Sea ports, trapping about 20 million tonnes of grain meant for export inside the country, along with other foodstuffs such as maize and sunflower oil. |
| But in July, a deal between Ukraine and Russia was brokered by Turkey and the UN, agreeing to resume grain exports through the Black Sea ports. | But in July, a deal between Ukraine and Russia was brokered by Turkey and the UN, agreeing to resume grain exports through the Black Sea ports. |
| On Monday, however, President Putin said the deal was being suspended, citing the "massive" drone attack on its fleet in Crimea that he alleged Kyiv was responsible for. | On Monday, however, President Putin said the deal was being suspended, citing the "massive" drone attack on its fleet in Crimea that he alleged Kyiv was responsible for. |
| He said maritime safety must be ensured and that implementing grain exports under such conditions were too risky. | He said maritime safety must be ensured and that implementing grain exports under such conditions were too risky. |
| "Ukraine must guarantee that there will be no threats to civilian vessels," Mr Putin said in a televised address. | "Ukraine must guarantee that there will be no threats to civilian vessels," Mr Putin said in a televised address. |
| Kyiv has not admitted responsibility for the attack, saying Moscow had long planned to abandon the internationally-brokered deal and used the attack as a pretext to do so. | Kyiv has not admitted responsibility for the attack, saying Moscow had long planned to abandon the internationally-brokered deal and used the attack as a pretext to do so. |
| "In conditions when Russia is talking about the impossibility of guaranteeing the safety of shipping in these areas, such a deal is hardly feasible, and it takes on a different character - much more risky, dangerous and unguaranteed," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. | "In conditions when Russia is talking about the impossibility of guaranteeing the safety of shipping in these areas, such a deal is hardly feasible, and it takes on a different character - much more risky, dangerous and unguaranteed," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. |
| Russia's withdrawal from the deal has been condemned by the US, who said Moscow was "weaponising food". | Russia's withdrawal from the deal has been condemned by the US, who said Moscow was "weaponising food". |
| The EU's foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, has urged Russia to reverse its decision, saying jeopardising the export of grain and fertilisers would impact the global food crisis. | The EU's foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, has urged Russia to reverse its decision, saying jeopardising the export of grain and fertilisers would impact the global food crisis. |
| The Russian ambassador to the US has rejected accusations that his country was exacerbating a global food crisis, saying it was unfair to criticise Russia. | The Russian ambassador to the US has rejected accusations that his country was exacerbating a global food crisis, saying it was unfair to criticise Russia. |
| The suspension comes as Russia says it has expanded its evacuations of the occupied Kherson region, despite stating over the weekend that these had come to an end. | The suspension comes as Russia says it has expanded its evacuations of the occupied Kherson region, despite stating over the weekend that these had come to an end. |