Putin dangers meals and gas value hikes with ramped up Ukrainian port assaults
Russia is stepping up its reckless attacks on Black Sea ports, delaying vital supplies from reaching Palestine and the global south, Keir Starmer has warned.
British intelligence shows Russian is taking greater risks in striking Ukrainian port infrastructure, with grain ships becoming collateral damage in the Kremlin’s brutal war, No10 said.
The acceleration in attacks coincides with harvest season in Ukraine, once known as the “breadbasket of Europe” as it is one of the world’s top exporters of grain.
The Prime Minister accused Vladimir Putin of driving up global food and fuel prices, and harming millions of vulnerable people across Africa, Asia and the Middle East “to try and gain the upper hand in his barbaric war”.
He 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.
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POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
“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.”
Recent strikes are believed to have delayed a ship from departing Ukraine while carrying vegetable oil destined for the World Food Programme in Palestine.
Russia has also hit ships loaded with grain destined for Egypt, two vessels carrying corn and World Food Programme shipments bound for southern Africa, according to UK intelligence.
Mr Starmer also condemned Russia’s “embarrassing and desperate” decision to bring North Korean troops into its war with Kyiv.
He said: “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.”
Defence Secretary John Healey said North Korean troops supporting Russia on the ground in Ukraine is a “shocking” and “desperate” new development. South Korea’s spy agency said last week it had confirmed that North Korea sent 1,500 special operation forces to Russia.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also said his government had intelligence that 10,000 North Korea soldiers were being prepared to join invading Russian forces. Mr Healey told MPs it was “highly likely” that the transfer of combat troops from North Korea to Russia has already begun.
It comes as the UK confirmed a £2.26billion loan to help Ukraine, funded by profits on frozen Russian assets. It makes up part of a £38.39billion loan package agreed by the G7 nations earlier this year to fund air defence, artillery or other military equipment.
