US Lawmakers & UN Sec-Gen Condemn russia’s attacks on Odesa

With russia’s latest inhuman twist in its 17-month war against Ukraine that now focuses on food, US lawmakers and the UN Secretary-General have loudly condemned its heartless strategy.

Earlier this week moscow abrogated its participation in the grain accord that allowed Ukraine to safely export grain from its Black Sea ports to waiting markets around the world. The kremlin now considers the southern coast of Ukraine its war zone. For the past three days it has mercilessly bombed civilian living quarters and loading docks in order to derail any seaborne exports of wheat and other grains derived from Ukrainian farms. Furthermore, russia warned that it would sink any vessel on the Black Sea steaming toward Odesa on the suspicion of it’s being a military ship. The Black Sea is now a military no man’s land. Food is as much a weapon in russia’s hands as are cluster bombs.

In addition to raining destruction on the maritime infrastructure, russian missiles have also destroyed living quarters and killed innocent civilians. As you’ve read here, there is no collateral damage in russia’s war against Ukraine because all civilian residences and civilians themselves are regarded as legitimate military targets by moscow.

The fear is that this latest cruel tactic of moscow will contribute not only to price spikes on food but also famine around the world.

Yesterday Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), Congressman Mike Quigley (IL-05), Congressman Andy Harris (MD-01), and Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09), co-chairs of the Congressional Ukraine Caucus, released the following statement on the Black Sea Grain Deal and attack on Odesa.

“We strongly condemn Russia’s callous decision to withdraw from the multilateral agreement allowing Ukrainian grain to continue being exported through the Black Sea,” said the co-chairs of the Congressional Ukraine Caucus. “As the ‘breadbasket of Europe’ agriculture is fundamental to Ukraine’s economy and the global food supply. Russia’s reneging on an international agreement is yet another attempt to force Ukraine into submission. This decision will not only impact Ukraine but will leave millions around the world at heightened risk of hunger and even on the brink of starvation. Putin knows his decisions will have far reaching and deadly consequences and tragically, he does not care. Russia’s overnight attacks on the port city of Odesa demonstrates their intention to completely disrupt the flow of Ukrainian grain to the rest of the world, even if that requires attacking civilian infrastructure.”

Today Stéphane Dujarric, spokesman for the Secretary-General, issued this statement attributable to the spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Ukraine:

“The Secretary-General strongly condemns the Russian attacks against port facilities in Odesa, and other Ukrainian Black Sea ports.
“The attacks contradict the Russian Federation’s commitments under the Memorandum of Understanding with the United Nations, which states that ‘the Russian Federation will facilitate the unimpeded export of food, sunflower oil and fertilizers from Ukrainian controlled Black Sea ports.’
“The Secretary-General also recalls that the destruction of civilian infrastructure may constitute a violation of international humanitarian law. 
“These attacks are also having an impact well beyond Ukraine. We are already seeing the negative effect on global wheat and corn prices which hurts everyone, but especially vulnerable people in the global south.
“For his part, 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.”

I hope that these statements, as beneficial as they are, will not be relegated to the “nice but who cares” category. The kremlin habitually disregards all public criticisms and denunciations of its heinous actions. Nonetheless, statements in support of Ukraine are needed.