The Kyiv Independent Live in London: 
Estonia bans transit of Russian, Belarusian grain
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Estonia has prohibited the transit of Russian and Belarusian grain through its territory, Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna announced on Oct. 1.
"Russia attacks Ukrainian ports, blocks Ukraine's grain exports, and then looks for new routes for its own grain," Tsahkna said on X. "Estonia will not provide one."
Russia, the world's leading wheat exporter, has increasingly struggled to ship out grain via the Black Sea amid Ukrainian drone attacks against Russian ports, forcing it to rely on alternative routes.
Some of the Russian grain has been redirected to Russia's Baltic ports and to terminals in Latvia and Lithuania, even though these can process only about 10% of the volume that usually goes through the southern ports.
While Russia and Belarus have not used Estonia for grain exports so far, the move is designed to prevent any such exports in the future, Estonian media reported.
"Together with Latvia and Lithuania, we are working to ensure that Baltic ports do not become a transit route for Russia," Tsahkna said.
Latvia previously announced plans to impose a 300% tariff on grain from Russia and Belarus.
Tallinn has also pledged to work with Lithuania and Latvia to prevent the export of grain that Russia looted from the occupied Ukrainian territories.
Ukrainian drone attacks have expanded their scope of targets over the summer to also include Russian ports in the Azov and the Black Sea, while Moscow's forces have continued their attacks against Ukrainian ports and merchant ships in Ukraine's territorial waters.
