After the Grain Agreement was stopped and the Black Sea blocked, the Ukrainian Danube ports are gaining in importance for export. Russia also knows this and is targeting them. Rockets also hit near the Romanian border.
After Russia canceled the grain deal, Ukraine is looking for other ways to export its grain and oilseeds. The small Danube ports are gaining in importance. According to local authorities, three grain silos have been destroyed in Russian drone attacks in the port of Reni, which lies across from the Romanian bank of the Danube.
This brings the combat operations into the immediate vicinity of a NATO member. “This latest escalation poses a serious risk to security in the Black Sea,” Romanian President Klaus Iohannis tweeted.
The Danube has become one of the most important transport routes for grain since passage through the Black Sea became too dangerous. After the attack on Reni, around 30 freighters halted their journey in front of the Ukrainian port of Ismail further downstream, according to data from MarineTraffic. However, it was initially unclear whether this was due to Russian attacks. Ukrainian news agencies had reported nighttime explosions in the Ismail area.
Ukraine wants to increase exports
Around two million tons are currently being exported via the Danube ports. The rest by rail and road transport. But Ukraine wants to increase exports by a million tons a month. “Today we are already able to export about 3.5 million tons a month and in the near future there will be improvements up to 4.5 million tons,” said the head of the Ukrainian Grain Union Mykola Horbachev, as reported by the Interfax-Ukraine news agency, citing Voice of America.
According to Horbachev, before the war seven million tons were exported monthly via the Black Sea ports. During the war, around 33 million tons of agricultural goods were exported via the so-called grain corridor within just under twelve months. However, Moscow withdrew from the grain agreement a week ago and has begun attacking port facilities on the Black Sea and the Danube with missiles and drones.
Impact of the attacks on prices
According to experts, the attacks had an impact on the agricultural exchanges: There, the prices for futures contracts rose sharply. Wheat rose by about seven percent and corn by five percent. It is feared that exports and shipping could be at risk.
“Russia has not attacked Ukraine’s land and inland grain infrastructure in recent months,” said a European trader. “Any disruption to this traffic could quickly impact international grain shipments.” A French trader spoke of a heavy blow. “Without the Black Sea Corridor and now with attacks on alternative routes, it will be difficult to get Ukrainian grain out of the country.”
Putin wants to supply African countries with Russian grain
Many African countries are suffering from Russia’s war against Ukraine because they depend on grain and fertilizer from both countries.
Russian President Vladimir Putin promised African states that he would supply them with Russian grain and fertilizers after the grain agreement expired. Russia is expecting a “record harvest,” he assured on the Kremlin’s website with a view to the upcoming Russia-Africa summit in St. Petersburg.