Ukraine preparing to export grain from ports despite Russian strike

Ukraine continues to prepare to restart grain exports from its Black Sea ports despite a Russian missile strike that hit the port of Odesa on Saturday, Ukrainian Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov said.

Russian missiles hit the southern port of Odesa, the Ukrainian military said, threatening a landmark deal signed just the day before to unblock grain exports from Black Sea ports and ease global food shortages caused by the war.

“We continue technical preparations for the launch of exports of agricultural products from our ports,” Kubrakov wrote on Facebook.

The landmark deal signed by Moscow and Kyiv on Friday is seen as crucial to curbing soaring global food prices, easing a supply crunch by allowing certain exports to be shipped from Black Sea ports including Odesa.