The Defense Intelligence of Ukraine has published a confidential report for the Kremlin outlining a step-by-step plan to sabotage the "grain deal".
This was reported by the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine.
Overall, the document focuses on the technologies used to obstruct the implementation of the grain corridor work, which ultimately led to the complete breakdown of the agreement. According to the report, the so-called “Joint Coordination Center” saw its main task as minimizing the volume of grain exported within the Grain Deal.
The document states: “Quality inspection of vessels was also one of the key elements in curbing the uncontrolled growth of grain exports from Ukrainian ports. The activities of Russian inspectors were carried out in strict compliance with the developed methodological documents for organizing vessel inspections. As a result of the inspections conducted, the participation of 46 vessels in the Initiative was restricted, and the movement of 303 vessels was limited for a total period of 342 days”.
The measures to disrupt the Grain Deal were divided into several stages:
- Initially, at the initiative of the Russian President, Russia suspended its participation in the Grain Deal from October 29, 2022, to November 3, 2022. According to the document, this led to a decrease in grain exports from 4.2 million tons in October to 2.6 million tons in November.
- The next stage involved measures to restrict the entry of vessels into the Port of Pivdennyi, reducing the number of inspection teams (no more than two), and halting the registration of grain trucks.
These actions allowed Russians to “effectively control the number of vessels heading to Ukrainian ports and significantly limit the volume of food exports from Ukraine, ultimately preventing Kyiv from exporting about 20 million tons of cargo.
The report notes that “the lowest amount of food exported from Ukrainian ports, 7.8 million tons, occurred during the third stage of the Initiative (from March 19 to July 17, 2023)”.
Special attention was given to the disruption of grain supplies under the World Food Program: “Attempts by Ukrainians to use the Black Sea Initiative to continue the so-called ‘Grain from Ukraine’ program using vessels chartered under the World Food Program were stopped. The registration of such vessels was only allowed after providing written commitments not to participate in similar actions”.
Thus, in case the Grain Deal is continued, the Russians plan to utilize all accumulated “experience” to effectively disrupt the agreements.
The document indicates that all actions to disrupt the Grain Deal are part of a pre-planned comprehensive plan. And the targeted shelling of Ukrainian port infrastructure is just another step in its implementation.
Recall that on July 9, Ukraine called on African countries to unite efforts to guarantee food exports from Ukraine after Russia’s withdrawal from the “grain deal”.
Additionally, Ukraine has decided to establish a temporary route to continue grain exports via the Black Sea after Russia’s exit from the “grain deal”.
In the Strategic Communications Department of the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, it was stated that Ukraine will continue to supply grain to countries despite Russia’s withdrawal from the “grain deal”.
Photo: Getty Images
