C T Online Desk: Russian missiles hit Ukraine’s port of Odessa Saturday, in what Kyiv called a “spit in the face” of a day-old deal between the warring sides to resume cereal exports blocked by the conflict.
The Ukrainian military said its air defences had shot down two cruise missiles but two more hit the port, threatening the landmark agreement hammered out over months of negotiations aimed at relieving a global food crisis.
The Ukrainian foreign ministry spokesman said the strike was “a spit in the face” by Russian leader Vladimir Putin against the deal brokered by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and United Nations chief Antonio Guterres.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed the strikes on Odessa showed Moscow could not keep its promises.
“This proves only one thing: no matter what Russia says and promises, it will find ways not to implement it,” he said during a meeting with US lawmakers, according to a statement from the presidency.
Odessa is one of three export hubs designated in the agreement and Ukrainian officials said grain was being stored in the port at the time of the strike, although the food stocks did not appear to have been hit.
Guterres — who presided over the signing ceremony on Friday — “unequivocally” condemned the attack, his deputy spokesman said, and urged all sides to stick to the deal.
“These products are desperately needed to address the global food crisis and ease the suffering of millions of people in need around the globe,” he said.
The EU’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell directly blamed Russia for the strikes.
“Striking a target crucial for grain export a day after the signature of (the) Istanbul agreements is particularly reprehensible and again demonstrates Russia’s total disregard for international law and commitments,” he said.
UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said the attack was “absolutely appalling” and “completely unwarranted”.
