In an address to the U.N. Security Council, Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, outlined how actions by Russia have devastated agriculture in Ukraine and created the potential for famine in nations reliant on Black Sea grain shipments.

There is a complete embargo on shipping in the Black Sea with Ukranian ports blocked.  Twenty million tons of grain is currently held in elevators in the southeastern quadrant of Ukraine. Russia disputes the claims relating to blockades and has offered to export 25 million tons of wheat from their crop to be harvested in August.

Blinken blames Russia for the current global food crisis attributed to actions including deliberate destruction of agricultural installations including elevators and crushing plants, stealing farm equipment and grain from silos and distributing landmines on cropland.

The U.N. Administrator responsible for food, David Beasley noted that escalating food prices have already resulted in riots and the invasion of Ukraine will add at least 15 million people to the populations facing starvation in 43 nations. The Soviet Holomodor (contrived famine) of 1932 is being revisited but now on an international scale.