ST. PETERSBURG, July 27. /TASS/. Western countries are obstructing supplies of Russian grain and fertilizers while hypocritically blaming Russia for the crisis on the global food market, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.

"A paradoxical picture is emerging: on the one hand, Western countries are obstructing the supply of our grain and fertilizers, and on the other hand, I will say it directly, they are hypocritically blaming us for the current crisis situation in the global food market," the Russian president said at the plenary session of the Russia-Africa Economic and Humanitarian Forum.

This approach, according to him, was particularly clear during the implementation of the grain deal, which was concluded with the participation of the UN Secretariat and was originally aimed at ensuring global food security, reducing the threat of hunger and helping the poorest countries, including in Africa.