Russia has stepped up attacks on Ukrainian port infrastructure in
the Black Sea, delaying vital aid from reaching Palestinians, and
stopping crucial grain supplies from being delivered to the
global south.
The acceleration in attacks coincides with harvest season in
Ukraine, a country which remains a major supplier of agricultural
produce, crucial for global food security.
Putin's almost 1000-day conflict in Ukraine has reduced supplies
for some of the world's most in need and helped drive up food and
fuel prices across the globe.
Now, UK intelligence shows that there has been a noticeable
increase in Russian risk appetite when conducting strikes on port
infrastructure, with grain ships becoming collateral damage in
Russia's campaign.
Those strikes are believed to have delayed the MV SHUI SPIRIT
from departing Ukraine while carrying vegetable oil destined for
the World Food Programme in Palestine.
It has also hit ships loaded with grain destined for Egypt, two
vessels carrying corn - which Ukraine is the second biggest
supplier to China of - and World Food Programme shipments bound
for southern Africa.
Prime Minister said:
“Russia's indiscriminate strikes on ports in the
Black Sea underscore that Putin is willing to gamble on global
food security in his attempts to force Ukraine into
submission.
‘'In doing so, he is harming millions of vulnerable people across
Africa, Asia and the Middle East, to try and gain the upper hand
in his barbaric war.
“In recent weeks, we have seen reporting that the Kremlin has
been forced to turn to North Korea to provide troops to fuel its
self-destructing war machine, an embarrassing and desperate act,
and now they are intensifying attacks on areas of Ukraine that
support the global south with much-needed food.
“Russia has no respect for the norms and laws that govern our
international system. Not only was their illegal invasion a
blatant attack on the principles of the UN Charter, but the way
they have executed their war in Ukraine shows no respect for
human life, or the consequences of their invasion across the
world.”
According to Defence Intelligence, between 05 – 14 October 2024,
at least four merchant vessels have been struck by Russian
munitions.
These include:
1. 05 October 2024 - Yuzhny
port - MV PARESA (St Kitts and Nevis flagged) was almost
certainly the target of the strike that damaged it.
Following the attack, the Russian MoD released a video of what
they say shows the vessel unloading containerised cargo which
they likely perceive to be weapons.
2. 07 October 2024 - Odesa
port - MV OPTIMA (Palau flagged). There is a
realistic possibility that the vessel was collateral
damage as a result of a strike on port infrastructure
and was not the direct target of the attack. MV OPTIMA was also
likely further damaged in a strike on port infrastructure on 15
October 2024.
3. 08 October 2024 -
Chronomorsk port MV SHUI SPIRIT (Panama flagged).Ukraine's
Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food Vitalii Koval stated the MV
SHUI SPIRIT was carrying sunflower oil as part of a UN shipment.
However, the vessel was a containerised cargo carrier and noting
the earlier strike on MV OPTIMA, there is a realistic
possibility that this vessel was also the target of the
strike as opposed to collateral damage.
4. 14 October 2024 – Odesa
port – NS MOON (Belize flagged) was likely damaged in strikes on
port infrastructure. The vessel was likely collateral
damage in strikes on port infrastructure.
The announcement comes as this government announces a further
£2.26 billion for Ukraine as part of the UK's contribution to the
G7 Extraordinary Revenue Acceleration (ERA) Loans to Ukraine
scheme.
Through the scheme, $50 billion from G7 countries will be
delivered to Ukraine for its military, budget and reconstruction
needs. The loan will be repaid using the extraordinary profits on
immobilised Russian sovereign assets.
The UK has been at the forefront of work to protect the maritime
corridor in the Black Sea. The Maritime Capability Coalition -
led by the UK and Norway – is focused on delivering a future
naval fighting force for Ukraine and has instrumental in helping
to equip Ukraine's navy with items such as uncrewed surface
vessels, better known as maritime drones, which will protect the
corridor.
The UK is donating an additional £120m toward the Maritime
Capability Coalition and is seeking partners to co-fund delivery
of hundreds more maritime drones (aerial and uncrewed boats), as
well as surveillance radars to protect the Grain Corridor.
And together, the UK and Norway are seeking a further £100m to
co-fund hundreds more.
Recent gifting packages have provided dozens of amphibious
all-terrain vehicles and raiding craft, hundreds of anti-ship
missiles for coastal defence and river operations, and hundreds
of thousands of rounds of ammunition to accompany the machine
guns we have provided.
Russia's brutal and indiscriminate attacks have not been limited
to the Black Sea, Putin's forces have also been targeting
civilian infrastructure in Ukraine throughout this year, aiming
to make life intolerable for the Ukrainian people, especially as
the country heads into winter.
They have attacked thousands of civilian targets, including
hospitals and energy infrastructure.
Open-source intelligence shows there has been 1522 attacks on
Ukraine's health care system since February 2022, 774 attacks
damaged or destroyed hospitals and clinics, and 234 health
workers have been killed.
