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KYIV/NEW YORK, Oct 31 (Reuters) - The United Nations, Turkey and Ukraine pressed up to instrumentality a Black Sea atom woody and agreed connected a transit program for Monday for 16 vessels to determination forward, contempt Russia's withdrawal from the pact that has allowed the export of Ukrainian cultivation products to satellite markets.
Russia, which invaded Ukraine on. Feb 24, connected Saturday halted its relation successful the Black Sea woody for an "indefinite term", cutting shipments from 1 of the world's apical atom exporters, due to the fact that it said it could not "guarantee information of civilian ships" travelling nether the pact aft an onslaught connected its Black Sea fleet.
The determination has sparked an outcry from Ukraine, NATO, the European Union and the United States, portion the United Nations and Turkey, 2 main brokers of the July deal, scrambled connected Sunday to prevention it.
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was profoundly acrophobic astir Russia's determination and delayed a overseas travel to effort and revive the statement that was intended to easiness a planetary nutrient crisis, his spokesperson said.
Following Russia's move, Chicago wheat futures jumped much than 5 percent connected Monday arsenic some Russia and Ukraine are among the world's largest wheat exporters, analysts said.
More than 9.5 cardinal tonnes of corn, wheat, sunflower products, barley, rapeseed and soy person been exported since July. Under the deal, a Joint Coordination Centre (JCC) - made up of U.N., Turkish, Russian and Ukrainian officials - agrees connected the question of ships and inspects the vessels.
No ships moved done the established maritime humanitarian corridor connected Sunday. But the United Nations said successful a connection that it had agreed with Ukraine and Turkey connected a question program for 16 vessels connected Monday - 12 outbound and 4 inbound.
It said the Russian officials astatine the JCC had been told astir the plan, on with the volition to inspect 40 outbound vessels connected Monday, and noted that "all participants coordinate with their respective subject and different applicable authorities to guarantee the harmless transition of commercialized vessels" nether the deal.
During Sunday's league among the atom woody delegations, Russian officials said Moscow volition proceed the dialog with the United Nations and the Turkish delegation connected pressing issues, the U.N. said successful its statement.
But determination was nary Russian absorption successful effect to Monday's transit plan.
Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar was successful interaction with his Russian and Ukrainian counterparts to effort and salvage the statement and had asked the parties to debar immoderate provocation, the Turkish defence ministry said.
NATO and the European Union person urged Russia to reconsider its decision. U.S. President Joe Biden connected Saturday called Russia's determination "purely outrageous" and said it would summation starvation. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken accused Moscow of weaponising food.
On Sunday, Russia's ambassador to Washington, snapped back, saying the U.S. effect was "outrageous" and made mendacious assertions astir Moscow's move.
FALSE PRETEXT'
The Russian defence ministry said Ukraine attacked the Black Sea Fleet adjacent Sevastopol with 16 drones early and that British navy "specialists" had helped coordinate what it called a violent attack. Britain denied the claim. Russia said it repelled the onslaught but that the ships targeted were progressive successful ensuring the atom corridor retired of Ukraine's Black Sea ports.
Ukraine has neither confirmed nor denied it was down the attack. The Ukrainian subject suggested that Russians themselves whitethorn person been liable for the explosions.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said Moscow utilized the explosions 220 km (137 miles) distant from the atom corridor arsenic a "false pretext" for a long-intended move.
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's main of unit accused Russia connected Saturday of inventing attacks connected its ain facilities.
Ukraine often accuses Russia of utilizing the Black Sea Fleet to occurrence cruise missiles astatine Ukrainian civilian targets, a complaint supported by immoderate subject analysts who accidental that makes the fleet a morganatic subject target.
Russia's penetration has precocious been dominated by a Ukrainian counteroffensive and Russian drone and rocket attacks that person destroyed much than 30% of Ukraine's generating capableness and deed populated areas. Each broadside has accused the different of being prepared to detonate radioactive bombs.
Russia asked the U.N. Security Council to conscionable connected Monday to sermon the Sevastopol attack, Deputy U.N. Ambassador Dmitry Polyanskiy wrote connected Twitter.
SHIPS BLOCKED
The atom woody had restarted shipments from Ukraine, allowing income connected satellite markets, targeting the pre-war level of 5 cardinal metric tonnes exported from Ukraine each month.
But up of its Nov. 19 expiry, Russia had said that determination were superior problems with it and Ukraine complained that Moscow had blocked astir 200 ships from picking up atom cargoes.
The woody ensured harmless transition successful and retired of Odesa and 2 different Ukrainian ports.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy accused Russia of wanting to escalate the crisis, saying 218 ships were blocked and waiting to either transportation nutrient oregon participate Ukrainian ports.
A vas carrying 30,000 tonnes of wheat chartered by the U.N. Food Program and intended for exigency effect successful the Horn of Africa was among those adjacent the 3 Ukrainian ports, according to the U.N.
"We are acceptable to merchandise this vessel into the sea," helium said, but similar different ships with cultivation products, it was being forced to wait, "because Russia is blackmailing the satellite with hunger," helium said.
Reporting by Reuters bureaux, Ron Popeski, Pavel Polityuk, Michelle Nichols; Writing by Humeyra Pamuk; editing by Diane Craft
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
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