Page 27 - UKRRptJun22

Technologies recorded the loading of Ukrainian grain on Russian ships in the port of temporarily occupied Sevastopol. It is noted that the new photos show the vessel Matros Pozynych and Matros Koshka moored near the buildings, similar to grain storage structures, and grain spilled from a conveyor belt into the open hold. According to the vessel-tracking site MarineTraffic.com, both vessels left the port: the Aegean Matros Pozynych said it was heading to Lebanon, and the Matros Koshka was still in the Black Sea. According to CNN, earlier this month, Sailor Pozynych carried out a similar mission: loading grain and leaving the Black Sea for the Mediterranean. Initially, the ship was bound for Egypt, but it was turned away from Alexandria after warning by Ukrainian officials. The vessel was also barred from entering Beirut, and it eventually moored in Syria.
US diplomats have warned African countries not to buy stolen grain from Russia. US diplomats have recently sent letters to 14 countries, mainly in Africa, stating that Russia could try to sell grain stolen from Ukraine to foreign buyers, reported the New York Times. The US State Department has indicated that it suspects there are at least three ships transporting Ukrainian grain stolen by Russia. Washington's stolen grain warning has only exacerbated a dilemma for African countries, many of which are already trapped between East and West, as they could potentially face difficult choices: either benefit from Russia's war crimes and anger their Western ally or abandon cheap food at a time when wheat prices are rising, and hundreds of thousands of people are starving. As of today, Russia has stolen up to 500,000 tons of Ukrainian wheat, worth $100M, since Russia’s invasion in February.
Poland will provide logistics for the transportation of Ukrainian grain.
Poland is ready to expand its infrastructure in order to transport Russian-blocked Ukrainian grain to the Middle East and Africa and needs several months to do so, as stated by Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki. "I told our friends in the EU that Poland is ready to change and expand the capabilities of border, transport, rail, and port infrastructure quickly. Of course, we will not be able to do this in a few weeks, but we will be able to achieve a certain result in a few months," said the Polish Prime Minister. He noted that soon Warsaw will hold talks with Ukrainian partners so that, despite Russia's barbaric actions, as much grain as possible can be exported from Ukraine as Ukraine is one of the world's most important grain exporters to Africa and the Middle East.
Ukraine is working on grain export with the UN and its allies. "Russia is starving the world by blocking food exports from Ukraine with one hand and trying to shift the blame to Ukraine with the other. Ukraine is working to organize an international operation under the auspices of the United Nations, involving partner fleets to ensure a safe trade corridor without security threats," said Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba. Last week, the Russian Foreign Ministry said it was ready to provide a humanitarian corridor to export Ukrainian crops across the Black Sea in exchange for lifting sanctions and demining the Black Sea around Ukraine, which Russia itself mined in the first month of the full-scale invasion. The US and UK have already said they will not consider such concessions.
Ukraine and Moldova will simplify border crossings. During a meeting in Odesa, Chairman of the State Customs Service of Ukraine Vyacheslav Demchenko and Director of the Customs Service of Moldova Igor Talmazan agreed to optimize their common border crossings, reported the State
27 UKRAINE Country Report XXXX 2018 www.intellinews.com