LONDON, England: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has condemned Russia’s intensified attacks on Ukrainian Black Sea ports, highlighting their global impact.
According to Reuters, Starmer stated that these indiscriminate strikes are not only damaging vital grain infrastructure but also delaying critical aid shipments to vulnerable regions like Palestine, Africa, and the Middle East.
He stressed that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s actions are worsening global food insecurity in an attempt to pressure Ukraine into submission.
Since September, the United Nations has reported damage to six civilian vessels and essential grain facilities due to these attacks. British intelligence confirmed that at least four merchant ships were hit by Russian munitions in October, further exacerbating the disruption.
Ukraine, a major wheat and corn exporter, used to export about six million tons of grain monthly via the Black Sea before Russia’s 2022 invasion. Although Ukraine has established a shipping corridor, the strikes are slowing deliveries, affecting millions across the Global South. Shipments bound for Egypt, southern Africa, and the World Food Programme have been delayed, worsening the food crisis in these regions.
