Putin said Russia would carefully “monitor” food exports to “hostile” countries. Figure: flipping Twitter (file photo)
Russia is sanctioned by the international community for its aggression once morest Ukraine, and Europe takes action once morest Gazprom, waging a war of aggression. Russian President Vladimir Putin today condemned the practice, and he also warned that if foreign countries want to nationalize Russian assets abroad , beware that this is a “double-edged sword”, because Russia “will retaliate”.
Vladimir Putin told top officials in a televised meeting that “due to various non-market outrageous measures, including some European The situation in the energy sector is deteriorating due to the administrative pressure exerted by Gazprom.”
“We have heard some (foreign) officials mention the possibility of nationalizing our (foreign) assets. Don’t forget that this is a double-edged sword,” Putin said, stressing that Russia will carefully “monitor” the Grain exports from “hostile” countries, implying that restrictions on grain exports may be part of Russia’s retaliation for sanctions, following the Russian military deliberately destroyed grain storage facilities in eastern Ukraine, showing Russia’s systematic intention to affect global food supplies .
Dmitry Medvedev, vice-chairman of the Russian National Security Council, one of Putin’s close associates, also said recently: “We will only provide food and agricultural products to our friends. Fortunately, we have many such friends, but They are not in Europe and North America.” Currently, Russia mainly supplies wheat and other grains to African and Middle Eastern countries.
According to a previous report by Archyde.com, a U.S. official said that according to U.S. information, Russian troops have repeatedly destroyed granaries in eastern Ukraine. As of late March, at least six food storage facilities had been damaged by Russian attacks. Officials around the world are concerned regarding the impact of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on global food supplies. According to statistics, Ukraine is the 4th largest food exporter in the world in 2020-21.
The U.S. official continued that Russia’s reckless destruction of these granaries is a clear example of how the Putin battle directly affects Ukrainian civilians and threatens global food security. The destruction of these stocks and silos as African and Middle Eastern countries rely on Ukraine’s wheat exports might leave already fragile economies facing supply shortages and push up prices.
U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said the Russian military had bombed at least three civilian ships carrying cargo from Black Sea ports to the world, including one leased by an agribusiness. Ukraine has informed its counterparts that Russian forces are actively destroying barns and grain storage facilities. The Black Sea is a major shipping route for grain, oil and related products, and Russian forces have blocked ships from entering Ukrainian ports, cutting off grain exports. At least 94 ships carrying food for global markets have been blocked from reaching the Mediterranean.
