Following withdrawal from the Black Sea Grain Initiative, the Russian Federation has embarked on a destructive program of shelling port facilities in Odesa, Chornomorsk and Yuzhny.  In recent days, facilities have been attacked on the Danube ports of Reni and Izmail using drones and missiles.

It is evident that recent attacks are intended to use food as a weapon against countries supporting the independence of Ukraine and to use third-World hunger as leverage to lift sanctions.

Dmytro Kuleba, Foreign Minister of Ukraine stated, “If Russia tries to extract concession by holding 400 million people hostage, all nations particularly those in Africa and Asia should mount a united global response to food terrorism.”

It is ironic and possibly an indication of incoordination within the higher levels of government in the Russian Federation that attacks on grain infrastructure should have take place during a meeting between the president of Russia and the leaders of a number of African nations that are reliant on Black Sea grain exports.  Even African nations leaning toward Russia are urging moderation and an end to hostilities. (see Commentary in this Edition)