Russia continues to escalate tension over grain deal

7:16 a.m.: Russia continues to escalate tension over Ukraine grain export deal

Moscow announced this weekend to suspend its participation in the agreement on Ukrainian grain exports, vital for the world’s food supply. On Monday, the Kremlin warned that it would be « dangerous » and « difficult » to continue implementing the Ukrainian grain deal without Moscow. The Russian military has demanded « commitments » from Ukraine not to use the grain export corridor for military purposes.

For the spokesman of the US State Department Ned Price, this request “resembles either collective punishment or collective extortion”. In the evening, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that « Ukraine must guarantee that there will be no threat to the safety of civilian ships », accusing kyiv of having used the grain corridor for the drone attack. which he attributes to him and which pushed Moscow to suspend the agreement on Ukrainian exports.

Two cargo ships loaded with grain, however, left Ukrainian ports on Monday and took the humanitarian maritime corridor bound for Turkey, according to the specialized site Marine Traffic.

6:51 am: The latest highlights on the ground

Russia launched a massive attack on infrastructure in several regions of Ukraine on Monday morning. In kyiv, where at least five explosions were heard early Monday by AFP journalists, « 80% of consumers in the capital » were deprived of water, Mayor Vitaly Klitscho said on Telegram, adding that « 350,000 homes were without electricity.

According to Prime Minister Denys Chmygal, « missiles and drones hit 10 regions, damaging 18 facilities, most of them related to the energy system ». “Hundreds of localities” were without electricity “in seven regions” of Ukraine, he added.

6:30 a.m .: Welcome to this live broadcast devoted to the follow-up to the 251st day of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.