Ukrainian Grain Facilities Suffers Setback After Russia Pulled Out Of Sea Deal

Russia launched a massive strike on Ukrainian grain and export infrastructure after pulling out of an international grain deal that allowed Ukraine to export across the Black Sea.

Russian missiles and drones hit targets along Ukraine’s Black Sea coast overnight and into Wednesday morning, with an Odesa military spokesperson calling the strikes a “truly massive attack.

The strikes were the second consecutive night of attacks on the region and came after Russia pulled out of the Black Sea Grain Initiative, a wartime deal that had been in place since last summer allowing Ukrainian grain exports to reach countries that face the threat of hunger. The Kremlin claimed that its exports demands under the deal were not being honored and pulled out of the deal just hours before launching the attacks.

“Putin hasn’t just blown up the Black Sea Grain Initiative; now he has hit the port city of Odesa with a hail of bombs for the second consecutive night,” German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said on Twitter.  “In doing that, he is robbing the world of any hope of Ukrainian grain.

Grain prices rose by over 3% Wednesday as Russia launched its attacks in Odesa, the Associated Press reported, continuing to highlight fears over the stability of the market that started with the Kremlin leaving the initiative.