U.K. Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said on July 25 that Russia may escalate its campaign to destroy Ukraine's food exports by targeting civilian ships in the Black Sea.
"We will highlight this unconscionable behavior at the (U.N. Security Council). Russia should stop holding global food supplies hostage and return to the deal," Cleverly tweeted.
The U.S. also warned on July 19 that Russia is considering attacking civilian vessels in the Black Sea with the intention of blaming Ukraine. Russian forces are reportedly laying additional sea mines in approaches toward Ukrainian ports.
Moscow announced that vessels sailing toward Ukraine's ports will be treated as carriers of military cargo and that all ships on the Black Sea will be inspected by Russian forces for possible military shipments.
Russia withdrew from the Black Sea Grain Initiative on July 17, effectively terminating the agreement that allowed Ukraine to export its grain amid the full-scale invasion.
Following the deal's collapse, Russian forces began targeting Ukrainian agricultural infrastructure and food stocks, with Odesa Oblast suffering regular attacks.
Agriculture Minister Mykola Solskyi reported on July 19 that Russian attacks had destroyed 60,000 tons of grain in Chornomorsk.
On July 24, Russia used attack drones to strike port infrastructure on the Danube, destroying a hangar used for storing grain. The attack took place in the far southwest of Ukraine, just 200 meters from the border with Romania, a NATO member state.
Abbey Fenbert
