Russia claims Ukraine sabotaged grain deal to ‘add food to nuclear blackmail’

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) - Russia on Sunday accused Ukraine of disrupting the grain deal in order to “add food to the nuclear blackmail.”

"The grain deal was thwarted by (Ukrainian President Volodymyr) Zelenskyy and his terrorists, who are led by British special forces, so as to complement nuclear blackmail with a grain ransom. The money and weapons they receive are no longer enough for them. They want more deaths,” Maria Zakharova said on her Telegram channel.

Commenting on Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba’s statement that Russia seeks to transfer 500,000 tons of grain "stolen from Ukraine" to other countries, Zakharova noted that Russia has long been proposing to transfer its own fertilizers free of charge to countries in need.

“The Kyiv regime rests on this hellish throne: money, weapons, death," she added.

On Saturday, Kuleba described Russia’s readiness to supply 500,000 tons of grain to "poor countries" for free within the next four months as a “hunger PR.”

“Moscow promises free 500,000 tons of grain (most likely stolen from Ukraine) to other countries over the next 4 months. But, by ruining the grain corridor, Russia blocks 2 million tons of grain for Algeria, Yemen, Vietnam, Bangladesh, and others,” Kuleba said.

Kuleba also accused Russia of using "a false pretext to block the grain corridor which ensures food security for millions of people."

On Saturday, Russia announced that it suspended its participation in the deal to export Ukrainian grain, following attacks on its Black Sea Fleet.

Türkiye, the UN, Russia, and Ukraine signed an agreement on July 22 in Istanbul to resume grain exports from three Ukrainian Black Sea ports, which were paused after the Russia-Ukraine war began in February. A Joint Coordination Center with officials from the three countries and the UN has been set up in Istanbul to oversee the shipments.