US says Russia trying to ship stolen Ukrainian grain to drought hit Africa for 'profit'

Russia, which has allegedly plundered millions of tonnes of food grains from Ukraine, is now seeking to make profits by selling it to hunger-stricken countries, New York Times reported citing American officials. It is to note that before the war started, Ukraine made up one-tenth of global wheat exports but with Putin’s forces blocking ports and sabotaging agrarian fields, a threat of global food crisis has surfaced. The continent of Africa is particularly impacted, with many countries facing a potential family in near future.

Washington, in mid-May, sent an alert to 14 countries that Russian cargo vessels were leaving ports near Ukraine laden with what a State Department cable described as “stolen Ukrainian grain.” The cable identified by name three Russian cargo vessels it said were suspected of transporting it. Russian troops captured Mairupol earlier in the war and subsequently moved to Odesa.

Russians invaders stole 5,00,00 tons of Ukrainian wheat, says Ukraine

Washington’s warning has magnified Kyiv's accusation that Russia has stolen 5,00,00 tons of Ukrainian wheat, with over US$100 million since February 24. Meanwhile, it has put African states in a dilemma of picking between participation in war crimes and letting the population starve amidst skyrocketing prices of food grains. Notably, prices of food grains have spiralled by 23 per cent in the past year, as per a UN report. Countries located in the horn of Africa are particularly suffering due to drought. 

Speaking to the New York Times, a Kenyan researcher Hassan Khannenje, director of the HORN International Institute for Strategic Studies, a research body in Kenya. "This is not a dilemma,” Khannenje said. “Africans don’t care where they get their food from, and if someone is going to moralize about that, they are mistaken.” “The need for food is so severe,” he added, “that it’s not something they need to debate.”

Zelenskyy, earlier this month, reiterated calls for heavy weapons supply to his country’s army. Speaking alongside Portuguese PM António Costa, the 44-year-old leader, stressed that Kyiv wasn’t looking to attack the Russian Federation with weapons, however, was instead trying to safeguard its own territories. On Saturday, Costa became the latest leader to visit the war-torn country. 

(Image: AP)