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Russian Kinzhal manufacturer imports components from EU. Russian factories that produce Kinzhal missiles are using components from multiple European Union countries, Russian investigative news outlet The Insider reported on Oct. 25.
Ukraine can export its products by sea without any guarantees from Russia. Negotiations on Moscow's return to the grain agreement, from which it withdrew, no longer make sense since the humanitarian sea corridor is working successfully without the Russian Federation, the Center for Strategic Communications reported. The new grain corridor’s success demonstrates that Russia was an unnecessary component in the Black Sea Grain Initiative. "The successful functioning of the new grain corridor became possible thanks to the defence Forces of Ukraine, which pushed the Russian fleet out of the northwestern Black Sea," the message reads. At the same time, Kyiv calls on its partners to strengthen shipping capabilities in the region. In particular, organizing patrols and trawling of sea waters and provide Ukraine with additional means to protect its port infrastructure from Russian shelling. Since September 16, 2023, at least 42 ships have arrived at the ports through the Ukrainian grain corridor, and at least 23 ships have left
Ukraine does not have enough export channels for its agricultural products. The temporary sea corridor has allowed only 700,000 tons of grain to pass through Ukrainian seaports. Minister of Agricultural Policy Mykola Solsky noted during the EU Council on Agriculture meeting that the largest number of agricultural products is currently exported through the Danube ports. Almost 2.3 million tons of farm products passed through this route in September and 2.4 million tons in August. In general, the export of farm products in September amounted to 3.6 million tons. Solsky emphasized that such volumes are not enough to export all of the necessary agricultural products because Ukraine needs to export about six million tons per month to preserve agriculture as a critical branch of the economy. “We can ensure such a volume of transportation only by restoring the entire operation of the deep-water ports of Odesa," the minister emphasized. As President Zelenskyy said at the Second Summit of the Crimean Platform, about 50 vessels have arrived at Ukrainian ports for loading since the start of the temporary corridor, and more than 50 more are scheduled to arrive. Despite this, grain exports decreased by 29.7% to 8.3 million tons in the new season.
The Romanian government said that prime minister Marcel Ciolacu and Ukrainian counterpart Denys Shmyhal signed bilateral agreements aimed at the safe transit of Ukrainian goods, cooperation in the defence and pharmaceutical industries, and the construction of a cross-border road bridge. Romania’s prime minister reiterated the country’s commitment to double its transit capacity for Ukrainian grain from 2mn tonnes per month to 4mn tonnes. This would enable the passage of over 60% of Ukraine’s cereal exports, Ciolacu said in a joint press conference following a meeting with Shmyhal in August.
Ukraine has brought the volume of sugar exports closer to the highest historical figures. According to official data, Ukrainian companies exported 25,000 tons of sugar in September. Since the beginning of the season (October 2022), the export of this product has reached 427,000 tons. The main reasons for the increase in exports are high sugar balances at the start of the 2022/23 season, high global sugar prices throughout the season, and the ban on sugar exports from June 5 to September 15, inclusive, due to government fears of a sugar shortage. Sugar exports in Ukraine were higher only in 2016-2018 – 465,000, 599,000, and 585,000 tons per year, respectively. In 2023, Ukrainian farmers significantly increased the acreage of sugar beet up to 250,000 hectares against 184,000 hectares last year.
Ukraine increased meat exports 10% from January through September
compared to the same period last year, reported the press service of the
42 UKRAINE Country Report November 2023 www.intellinews.com