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The Secretary General of the United Nations confirmed the extension of the agreement between Moscow and kyiv, for an export that will last another 120 days. But what is a relief for global food security, comes as Russia increases its bombardments on Ukrainian soil. On Thursday, Kremlin troops damaged more energy infrastructure and residential areas, killing at least four people.
The grains will continue to leave the Ukraine. The agreement aimed at alleviating global food shortages by facilitating the attacked country’s agricultural exports from its southern Black Sea ports has been extended for 120 days, starting Thursday, November 17.
“I welcome the agreement of all parties to continue with the Black Sea grain initiative and facilitate the safe navigation of grain, food and fertilizer exports from Ukraine”, confirmed António Guterres, UN Secretary General in recent hours. , who mediated in the pact.
However, the 120-day extension is less than the year requested by both the United Nations and kyiv.
Guterres noted that the UN is also “fully committed to removing the remaining obstacles to exporting food and fertilizer from the Russian Federation,” a part of the agreement that Moscow considers essential.
The pact, initially reached last July between kyiv and Moscow with the mediation of Turkey and the UN, created a protected maritime transit corridor that allows exports from three ports in Ukraine, which were stalled for months after the government of Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion against his neighboring country.
Ukraine is one of the largest producers of grains and oilseeds on the planet. The impediment in the shipments of its products abroad increased the scarcity of some foods and played a fundamental role in global inflation, although there have also been other important factors that include the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and the continuous climatic impacts such as droughts both in America and in Europe and other places.
According to official figures, since the agreement was implemented four months ago, some 11.1 million tons of agricultural products have been shipped, including 4.5 million tons of corn and 3.2 million tons of wheat.
Although wheat prices fell on the Chicago Stock Exchange after the announcement of the extension of exports this Thursday, the fact that the extension is only for four more months, and not one year, will make the uncertainty return after that term in the face of doubts as to whether Russia will sign a new extension or not, as highlighted by experts.
Russia intensifies its bombardments on Ukrainian soil
While Moscow is giving kyiv and the world an incentive to prolong Ukrainian exports, in the military field it continues its assaults.
On November 17, Russian airstrikes inflicted further damage on Ukraine, including energy infrastructure, residential buildings, and an industrial site.
Air sirens have sounded across the nation since early this morning, amid Moscow’s latest onslaught of long-range missiles, just as the war nears nine months into its duration.
At least four people have been killed and more than a dozen injured in drone and missile strikes across the country, local authorities said.
In kyiv, the city’s military administration reported that air defenses shot down at least two cruise missiles and five Iranian-made explosive drones.
With Kremlin forces on the ground receding, in recent weeks Russia has increasingly resorted to airstrikes targeting energy infrastructure, gas and water facilities, as well as other civilian targets in parts of Ukraine that his troops do not control.
Some Moscow missiles and drones have hit their targets
Russian strikes hit Dnipro and the southern Odessa region of Ukraine for the first time in weeks. Valentyn Reznichenko, governor of the eastern Dnipropetrovsk region, said a huge fire broke out in Dnipro after attacks in the city hit an industrial target.
In this assault at least 14 people were injured. Among them a teenager, as Reznichenko added.
“This is another confirmation from Dnipro of how terrorists want peace (…) They destroy the peaceful city and the desire of people to live their lives, used to going to work, to their business. A rocket attack! “, recriminated the Ukrainian president, Volodimir Zelensky.
However, in recent days, Ukrainian air defenses appear to have had more successful shootdowns than during last month’s bombing raids, analysts say. kyiv’s better response is a consequence in part of Western-supplied air defense systems.
With Reuters and AP
