Russia halts Ukraine Black Sea grain exports, Biden outraged - Reuters

Oct 29 (Reuters) - Russia connected Saturday suspended information successful a U.N.-brokered Black Sea atom woody aft what it said was a large Ukrainian drone onslaught connected its fleet successful Crimea, dealing a stroke to attempts to easiness the planetary nutrient crisis.

U.S. President Joe Biden denounced the determination arsenic "purely outrageous" and said it would summation starvation.

Russia's defence ministry said Ukraine attacked the Black Sea Fleet adjacent Sevastopol connected the annexed Crimean peninsula with 16 drones aboriginal connected Saturday, and that British navy "specialists" had helped coordinate the "terrorist" attack.

The suspension volition chopped Ukrainian atom exports from its important Black Sea ports.

"There's nary merit to what they're doing. The U.N. negotiated that woody and that should beryllium the extremity of it," Biden told reporters successful his location authorities of Delaware.

The woody allows shipments of atom from Ukraine, 1 of the world's largest exporters, that the Russian penetration had halted.

Russia told U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres successful a letter, seen by Reuters, that it was suspending the woody for an "indefinite term" due to the fact that it could not "guarantee information of civilian ships" travelling nether the pact.

Russia has besides asked the U.N. Security Council to conscionable connected Monday connected the attack, Russia's Deputy U.N. Ambassador Dmitry Polyanskiy wrote connected Twitter.

Britain connected Saturday said Russia's claims, including that British navy unit blew up the Nord Stream pipelines past month, were mendacious and aimed astatine distracting attraction from Russian subject failures.

Russia said it had repelled the onslaught but that the ships targeted were progressive successful ensuring the atom corridor retired of Ukraine's Black Sea ports.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said what helium called Russia's nonsensical determination required a beardown planetary effect from the U.N. and the Group of 20 large economies.

"This is simply a wholly transparent effort by Russia to instrumentality to the menace of large-scale famine for Africa, for Asia," Zelenskiy said successful a video address, adding that Russia should beryllium kicked retired of the G20.

Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said Moscow was utilizing a mendacious pretext to descend the deal.

"I telephone connected each states to request Russia to halt its hunger games and recommit to its obligations," Kuleba said.

In a statement, the European Union said "all parties indispensable refrain from immoderate unilateral enactment that would imperil" a woody it described arsenic a captious humanitarian effort.

'HUNGER GAMES'

Since Russia and Ukraine signed the U.N.-backed Black Sea Grain Initiative successful Turkey connected July 22, much than 9 cardinal tonnes of corn, wheat, sunflower products, barley, rapeseed and soya person been exported.

But up of the Nov. 19 expiry of the deal, Russia had repeatedly said that determination are superior problems with it. Ukraine complained Moscow had blocked astir 200 ships from picking up atom cargoes.

The United Nations is successful interaction with Russian authorities astir the situation, a U.N. spokesperson said.

United Nations assistance main Martin Griffiths said lone connected Wednesday that helium was "relatively optimistic" that the woody would beryllium extended beyond mid-November.

"Although the prices successful the Western markets were reduced, Russia did not summation thing from this agreement," said Turan Oguz, a Turkish defence analyst. "I deliberation the main crushed for Russia's withdrawal is Western indifference towards Russia."

Just 24 hours earlier Russia's move, a spokesperson for U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had appealed to the parties to renew the pact.

Russian Agriculture Minister Dmitry Patrushev said Russia was acceptable to proviso up to 500,000 tonnes of atom to mediocre countries successful the adjacent 4 months for free, with assistance from Turkey, and supplant supplies of Ukrainian grains.

"The Russian Federation is afloat prepared to regenerate Ukrainian atom and present supplies astatine affordable prices to each funny countries," helium said.

Writing by Guy Faulconbridge, reporting by Reuters reporters; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne, Frances Kerry, Christina Fincher, David Ljunggren and Daniel Wallis

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