Vladimir Putin suspends Black Sea grain exports deal
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said Russia is suspending its participation in a deal that allows safe passage to vessels carrying Ukrainian grain exports.
Moscow pulled out of the UN-brokered agreement on Saturday, alleging that Ukraine used the corridor in the Black Sea to attack its fleet.
The UN says there were no ships inside the corridor that night.
Ukraine says it will honour the deal and President Zelensky accused Russia of “blackmailing the world with hunger”.
On Monday, 12 ships containing 354,500 tons of food, including grain left Ukraine’s Black Sea ports on Monday. One of the ships carrying 40,000 tons of grain was heading to Ethiopia, where “the real possibility of mass starvation” existed an official said.
