“We are moving forward”, the head of the Ukrainian Armed Forces assures about the counterattack

Russian fertilizer export rules, according to Moscow, Russia plans to leave Ukraine’s grain export agreement without respect, in particular, Vladimir Putin repeated in a televised meeting of reporters Russian war correspondents.

“We are now considering withdrawing from this grain deal (…). Many conditions to apply are not fulfilled”, Mr. Putin said. He also accused Kyiv of using the sea lanes provided for in the deal to attack the Russian navy with drones.

A Russian ship in the Black Sea “Attacked by a drone yesterday or the day before”, he assured, appeared to refer to an attack against a Russian vessel by remote-controlled speedboats that Moscow said had failed on Sunday. To the Russian soldiers fighting at the front, “It is not clear why we are maintaining this contract”Mr. Putin said.

Russia continues to threaten to withdraw from the Ukrainian grain deal, which was concluded in July 2022 under the auspices of the United Nations and Turkey. The landmark agreement to ease the global food crisis caused by the conflict in Ukraine was extended several times for two months starting last May after intense negotiations.

Moscow is demanding compliance with a second agreement signed at the same time with the UN to facilitate exports of its own food products and fertilizers. In particular, Russia is demanding the resumption of operation of the Togliatti-Odessa pipeline for the delivery of ammonia, an essential chemical component of mineral fertilizers. But last week’s explosion at a piece of this infrastructure in northeastern Ukraine, which Moscow and China claim responsibility for, risks “Negative Impact” The Kremlin warned against the future of the grain deal.