MOSCOW, August 23. /TASS/. Western countries are planning to plant a fake story claiming that Russia is allegedly unhappy with the implementation of the grain deal and is preparing an act of sabotage against a commercial ship, Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova wrote in a commentary circulated on Tuesday.
"According to available information, the West is not going to settle for declarative statements, but is planning acts of provocation in order to demonize Russia in the eyes of the world community. In particular, a media fake is prepared that Moscow is allegedly dissatisfied with the results of the food deal on shipments of Ukrainian grain and is preparing sabotage against one of the commercial vessels," the commentary said.
"With this in view, we state that our country is fully committed to the four-party agreement signed in Istanbul (by Russia, Turkey and Ukraine with the mediation of the UN) on safe transportation of grain and food from the ports of Ukraine," the diplomat stressed.
She reiterated that as of Tuesday, 27 ships carrying food already made their journey from Ukrainian ports via a humanitarian corridor in the Black Sea. She also reiterated that also a bilateral memorandum of understanding was signed with the UN on the same day to promote the export of Russian food and fertilizers to the world markets.
"That is why we are objectively interested in continuing this work in order to ensure food supply to the most vulnerable states, primarily in Africa," Zakharova explained. "We caution the West against this kind of unacceptable and dangerous provocations, the entire responsibility for which will be with their organizers," the diplomat stressed.
"Our country remains a responsible and active party to G20. The United States and its allies will not succeed in defaming Russia in the eyes of our partners among friendly countries within this reputable association," Zakharova added.
Surge of anti-Russian rhetoric in the UK
Zakharova also drew attention to "another surge of anti-Russian rhetoric from the head of the UK Foreign Office, Elizabeth Truss, and UK prime ministerial candidate Rishi Sunak".
"We view this as unmotivated Russophobic fake news and a sign of London's obvious despair against the background of deadlocked efforts of British foreign policy to impose on the world community the view that our country is ‘isolated’ on the global stage. All of this is in line with the policy of the collective West to restrict Russia's participation in leading multilateral international forums, including such a significant and universal forum as G20," the diplomat stressed.