Russia attributes munitions explosion at Crimean base to ‘act of sabotage’

The first humanitarian ship chartered by the United Nations (UN) to carry Ukrainian grain left the port of Pivdenny in southern Ukraine on Tuesday with some 23,000 tonnes of grain for Africa, announced the Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine.

” Vessel Brave-Commander with grain for Africa left the port of Pivdenny. This morning, the cargo ship left for the port of Djibouti, where the food will be delivered on arrival to consumers in Ethiopia”the ministry said on Telegram.

According to him, “23,000 tons of wheat are on board this ship chartered by the World Food Program [PAM] United Nations “. Present at the port of Pivdenny on Sunday, the Ukrainian infrastructure minister, Oleksandr Kubrakov, hoped that ” two or three “ additional ships chartered by the United Nations can leave soon.

This is the first shipment of food aid to leave Ukraine since agreements were signed in July by kyiv and Moscow, through Turkish mediation and under the aegis of the UN, on the export of Ukrainian cereals, blocked because of the war between the two countries. The first commercial ship left on 1^er August, and more than 15 boats have left Ukraine since the entry into force of the agreement, according to the count of the Ukrainian authorities, but no humanitarian cargo from the United Nations had yet set sail.

Ukraine and Russia are among the world’s biggest exporters of cereals, which have experienced soaring prices since the start of the war. According WFPa record 345 million people in 82 countries now face acute food insecurity, while up to 50 million people in 45 countries are at risk of starvation if they do not receive humanitarian assistance .