Russia-Ukraine strikes put global grain supplies at risk

Russia has accused Ukraine of threatening global grain supplies after recent strikes on Black Sea agricultural infrastructure, while Moscow carried out a new overnight attack on Ukraine’s major Danube port of Izmail.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Ukrainian strikes on Russian agricultural and grain infrastructure were disrupting global food markets and increasing pressure on developing countries.

“It is evident that the Kyiv regime’s cynical military campaign to incite chaos in the global food market ... serves the interests of certain Western nations,” Zakharova said.

Her comments came after Ukrainian strikes on Novorossiysk killed at least three people, including an 8-year-old child, and forced two major grain terminals to halt operations.

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Strikes hit key grain ports

The attacks have raised concerns over disruptions to Black Sea grain exports. Russia is the world’s largest wheat exporter, while Ukraine is also a major global grain supplier.

Chicago wheat futures rose around three per cent on Wednesday following the strikes on Novorossiysk, reflecting fears that further attacks could disrupt global supplies.

Ukraine’s agriculture ministry said grain shipments fell 76 per cent in the first two weeks of August compared with the same period last year, citing continued Russian attacks on shipping in the Black Sea.

Russia’s agriculture ministry said it was working to redirect grain exports through alternative routes, while the country’s main grain lobby warned that continued Ukrainian attacks could eventually halt Black Sea exports and push up prices.

Russia strikes Ukraine’s Danube port

Russia struck the area around Izmail, Ukraine’s largest Danube port, overnight, causing damage and triggering a fire, according to regional authorities.

Izmail, located near the Romanian border in the Odesa region, handles grain and other commodities. The attack came a day after Ukraine struck Novorossiysk, a major Russian grain export hub on the Black Sea.

Romania scrambled two fighter jets after an aerial target entered its airspace for about 10 minutes before leaving toward Ukraine, the Romanian defence ministry said.

Meanwhile, Ukraine and Moldova agreed on a plan to route Ukrainian grain shipments through Moldova by rail as Kyiv seeks alternative export routes.

Both sides target economic infrastructure

Ukraine has intensified strikes on Russian energy, port and logistics infrastructure that it says supports Moscow’s war effort.

A major Ukrainian attack on Novorossiysk targeted a Russian naval base with drones and missiles. Ukraine’s SBU security service described the operation as strategically significant, while President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said several Russian naval vessels were hit.

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Russia has also intensified attacks on Ukrainian logistics and warehouse facilities. The escalation has increased concerns over the security of Black Sea trade routes and their impact on global food and commodity markets.

Novorossiysk also hosts oil export infrastructure, including facilities operated by the Caspian Pipeline Consortium, which transports Kazakh oil to international markets.

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Russia Ukraine Izmail Novorossiysk Black Sea Grain exports Ukraine Russia War