WASHINGTON, July 24. /TASS/. The US authorities condemn the attack on the port of Odessa, holding Russia responsible for it and argue that Russia allegedly violated its obligations under the agreements on the export of Ukrainian grain. This is according to a statement by US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, released on Saturday.
"The United States strongly condemns Russia’s attack on the port of Odessa. Just 24 hours after finalizing a deal to allow the resumption of Ukrainian agricultural exports through the Black Sea, Russia breached its commitments by attacking the historic port from which grain and agricultural exports would again be transported under this arrangement," Blinken said.
According to him, Russia was "starving Ukraine of its economic vitality and the world of its food supply". "This attack casts serious doubt on the credibility of Russia’s commitment to yesterday’s deal and undermines the work of the UN, Turkey, and Ukraine to get critical food to world markets," he said.
Turkish National Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said on Saturday, commenting on reports of the shelling of the port of Odessa, that Russia "had nothing to do with the attack." According to him, this was announced within the framework of Russia's contacts with the Turkish side.
On July 22, a package of documents was signed in Istanbul to solve the problem of food and fertilizer supplies to world markets. The memorandum between Russia and the UN fixes that the world organization is involved in the work to remove anti-Russian restrictions that impede the export of agricultural products and fertilizers. Another document prescribes the mechanism for the export of grain from the Black Sea ports controlled by Ukraine. Agreements between Russia, Turkey, Ukraine and the UN imply the creation of a four-party coordination center, whose representatives will inspect grain ships in order to prevent arms smuggling and provocations.