(KYIV, UKRAINE) – Global grain prices face a renewed threat from deliberate Russian attacks on Ukrainian agricultural enterprises and port infrastructure, President Volodymyr Zelensky has warned, drawing a direct link between the strikes on food production facilities and the risk of a fresh world food crisis.
Zelensky said in his evening address that daily reports arrive from the Sumy region and other parts of Ukraine detailing the consequences of Russian hits on ordinary agricultural enterprises and bread production sites. He described this as a deliberate and underhand Russian tactic.
The President instructed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to inform international partners and organisations about the effects of Russian strikes on agricultural infrastructure and the blocking of grain exports. He recalled that a similar situation arose in 2022, when Russian aggression placed food security in the Middle East, North Africa and other regions under threat.
Zelensky said the current Russian blocking of grain shipments from the Black Sea region could again deliver a serious blow to the cost of living in countries such as Egypt, Libya and many others that depend on imports of grain and grain processing products.
Ukraine is preparing to counter these actions and will coordinate its steps with international partners to protect global food security, Zelensky said. He stressed that partner understanding and swift implementation of agreements, particularly on air defence, remain the first priority.
Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha has previously stated that Russia is doing to the Black Sea and food security what Iran has done with the Strait of Hormuz. Since the start of July, Russia has attacked 31 commercial vessels in the Black Sea, according to Sybiha.
The warning comes as Ukraine’s agricultural exports continue despite the security challenges. The country remains one of the world’s largest suppliers of grain, sunflower oil and oilseed meals. Agricultural exports were valued at more than $20 billion (around £15.7 billion or €18.2 billion) in the most recent marketing year. Egypt typically imports around 5 million tonnes of Ukrainian grain annually, worth approximately $1.35 billion (around £1.06 billion or €1.23 billion) at current international prices.
The Ukrainian government is working with international partners on a package of measures to protect export logistics. The Ministry of Restoration, Infrastructure and Transport has said a resolution to mounting logistical difficulties at Ukrainian ports is expected within two to four weeks. The grain export protection plan is being updated following high level security meetings.
Several major agricultural commodity exporters and processing companies have suspended operations in the Odesa region in recent weeks, citing risks to employee safety and damage to facilities from missile and drone attacks.