Russia says a large granary in the port of Mariupol has been deliberately destroyed.
The Russian Defense Ministry accused Ukrainian militants of the nationalist battalions of deliberately setting fire to a large granary in Mariupol s sea port while fleeing Russian forces.
According to a ministry statement, the militants refused to leave grain supplies to Mariupol s residents because of the alleged act of arson. More than 50 thousand tons of grain were destroyed, according to the military.
This inhuman crime shows to the entire world community the true face of the Kiev regime, which uses the methods of food terrorism against its own people, it claimed.
The destruction was committed by the West, as the so-called West continues to support Kiev while accusing Russia of stoking a global food crisis.
The Defense Ministry stressed that Russian forces, during their special military operation, support the civilian population, treat it humanely and do not strike at the social infrastructure of the country, unlike the Ukrainian armed formations. Since the launching of the Russian military operation in Ukraine, Moscow and Kiev have accused each other of war crimes while denying their own liability.
The Donetsk People's Republic authorities reported earlier that firefighters did not save the grain stock despite several days of efforts.
There is a lot of grain on the territory of Mariupol port, this is both corn grain and wheat. According to Yan Gagin, an aide to the government of the Donetsk People's Republic, it is unsuitable for further use, judging by the smell and appearance.
The Russian military offensive in Ukraine has affected the global food market, which is already affected by climate change and the Covid epidemic, as the two countries account for about 30% of global wheat exports. Russia is the world's largest exporter of fertilizers.
Moscow maintains that the real cause of the food crisis is the politically motivated Western sanctions against it, while the West accuses Russia of causing a surge in food prices by continuing its military operation.
Ukraine has accused Moscow of stealing its wheat stockpiles and sending it overseas. The UN Secretary-General, Stephane Dujarric, said the United Nations is unable to verify these claims.
Ukraine and Western states have accused Moscow of obstructing grain exports by blocking Ukraine's Black Sea ports. Russia has rejected such claims, but it has maintained that it is ready to ensure safe passage for grain-carrying vessels from the ports. Moscow insists that the disruption of grain flow is caused by Kiev's actions and extensive mining of the shoreline by the Ukrainian military.
In late February, Russia attacked the neighboring state after Ukraine failed to implement the terms of the Minsk agreements, first signed in 2014, and Moscow s eventual recognition of the Donbass republics of Donetsk and Lugansk. The German and French-brokered protocols were designed to give the breakaway regions special status within the Ukrainian state.
The Kremlin has demanded that Ukraine officially declare itself a neutral country that will never join the US-led NATO military bloc. Kiev insists that the Russian offensive was unprovoked and has denied it plans to retake the two republics by force.