Liz Truss: ‘Not a word’ Putin says can be trusted after Russian blasts hit Ukraine port

[Mary Wilson]

Saturday 23 July 2022, 7:38pm

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has said Russia's attack on a Ukrainian city just hours after Moscow signed a deal to allow grain exports to start up again is proof Vladimir Putin cannot be trusted.

The Tory leadership hopeful said the hit on the Black sea port of Odesa on Saturday was "completely unwarranted," and showed "not a word" the Russian president said could be believed.

... On Friday, Russian and Ukrainian officials signed a pair of twin deals brokered by Turkey and the UN to resume much-needed exports.

It was hoped the deal would lead to Ukraine being able to export 22 million tons of grain and other agricultural products that have been stuck in Black Sea ports due to the war.

But on Saturday Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman Oleg Nikolenko said Russia had launched a missile attack on the port of Odesa, "breaking its promises and undermining its commitments".

... Mr Nikolenko said should exports continue to be held up "Russia will bear full responsibility for [a] global food crisis."

... Ukraine is one of the world’s largest exporters of wheat, corn and sunflower oil, but Russia’s invasion of the country and naval blockade of its ports have halted shipments.

Some grain is being transported through Europe by rail, road and river, but the prices of vital commodities like wheat and barley have soared during the nearly five-month war.

It's hoped the deal will alleviate immediate pressures on the global food market but with the war still raging there are fears many of Ukraine's farms will be unable to plant their next crops.

... The lack of exports has already led to a crisis in many nations that rely on Ukrainian grain.

In Kenya, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) says more than 18.4 million people “are already on the verge of starvation, about half of them children”.

https://www.itv.com/news/2022-07-23...=Social&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1658572985

 

[Emily]

It's hard to find a motive for Russia to fire missiles into that area right after signing the agreement. The explosions didn't hit grain facilities so may not have violated the agreement, but still seem purposeless. They only served Western propaganda purposes.

https://twitter.com/carlbildt/status...68233275772928

Carl Bildt
@carlbildt

It’s really preposterous when [Russia] tells [Turkey] that it had nothing to do with the missile attack against the Odessa port. Kalibr cruise missiles are sophisticated weapons launched from ships and submarines of the [Russian] navy and from nowhere else.
10:39 AM · Jul 23, 2022

He should know better. Kalibrs have been sold internationally by a Russian company for decades. Mali was striking a deal to buy some in January. (Also, there is a land-based launch system.)

https://twitter.com/kaou_bah/status/1486374624787058694


kaou BAH @kaou_bah

#Mali_Russie Le Gouvernement du Mali a amorcé le 21 janvier 2022, une négociation avec son partenaire traditionnel Russe, l'acquisition de 100 à 250 missiles intelligents.Kakibr 3M-14E, la version 3M54TE-3M54KE. La portée du missile de croisière est de 300 à 2500 km maximum.




10:25 AM · Jan 26, 2022

Since this missile system can be hidden in a shipping container and moved around and has a range of 800-1200 miles, there are a lot of possibilities. Some countries are doing very well with buying cheap grains and discounted energy from Russia. One of them might not want things to change.

FYI, Algeria is one of the countries who has these missiles.

https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/russia-ukraine-war-algeria-kyiv-protect-world-security
Russia-Ukraine war: Kyiv invites Algerian fighters to Ukraine to 'protect world security'
Kyiv and Moscow are both seeking to attract foreign fighters, with some commanding high salaries

By MEE staff
Published date: 5 March 2022 15:38 UTC | Last update: 4 months 1 week ago

 

[Emily]

Now they've admitted it. Probably don't want their Kalibr customers falling under suspicion.

https://www.thejournal.ie/ukraine-russia-war-3-5825057-Jul2022/
Russia says Odessa strikes hit Western arms as grain deal hangs in the balance
Monday 25 July 2022

RUSSIA SAID ITS missile barrage on a Ukrainian port central to a landmark grain export deal had destroyed Western-supplied weapons, after the attack sparked an outcry from Ukraine’s allies.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was embarking on a tour of several countries in Africa and on his first stop in Egypt sought to reassure Cairo that Russian grain supplies would continue.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy denounced Saturday’s strike on the Odessa port as “Russian barbarism” and said it amounted to desperation after the warring sides struck a deal to release exports from the facility.
...

But Russia’s defence ministry rolled back on the denial, saying the strikes had destroyed a Ukrainian military vessel and arms delivered by Washington.

“High-precision, long-range missiles launched from the sea destroyed a docked Ukrainian warship and a stockpile of anti-ship missiles delivered by the United States to the Kyiv regime,” it said.

“A Ukrainian army repair and upgrade plant has also been put out of order.”

The strikes have cast a shadow over the milestone accord — that was hammered out over months of negotiations and signed in Istanbul — to relieve a global food crisis...