UN Condemns Russian attacks on Ukraine Ports

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres strongly condemned Russian assaults on Ukrainian Black Sea ports on Thursday and warned that "destruction of civilian infrastructure may constitute a violation of international humanitarian law."

United Nations spokesman Stephane Dujarric claims that "these attacks are also having an impact well beyond Ukraine." We have already noticed a negative effect on the price of wheat and corn on a global scale, which is bad for everyone but especially the most vulnerable in the global south.

With an escalation in the Black Sea, Russia has alarmed global grain markets by launching airstrikes on Ukrainian ports for a third straight night and threatening warships traveling to Ukraine.

In response, Kiev declared similar actions would be used against ships en route to Russia or Ukrainian territory that was under Russian occupation.

According to Moscow, the port attacks are retaliation for a Monday Ukrainian attack on the Russian-Crimean border bridge.

The actions were taken just days after Russia reneged on a pact that had been mediated by the UN and Turkey and provided for the secure transfer of grain from Ukraine to the Black Sea for the previous 12 months.

The U.N. Security Council will meet on Friday over the "humanitarian consequences" of Russia's withdrawal from the Black Sea deal, Britain's U.N mission said on Thursday.

Russia's withdrawal on Monday also effectively ended a pact between the U.N. and Moscow, in which U.N. officials agreed to help Russian food and fertilizer exports reach world markets.

Under that agreement, the U.N. has said Moscow was no longer fulfilling a pledge to "facilitate the unimpeded export of food, sunflower oil, and fertilizers" from Ukrainian Black Sea Ports.

The United Nations said on Thursday that Russia's attacks on Ukrainian ports also contradict that commitment.

"The Secretary-General will not relent in his efforts to ensure that Ukrainian and Russian food and fertilizer are available on international markets as part of his ongoing efforts to fight global hunger and ensure stable food prices for consumers everywhere," Dujarric said.