Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Russia cannot be allowed to use grain corridors to attack the south of Ukraine

VALENTYNA ROMANENKO — WEDNESDAY, 8 JUNE 2022, 15:56

The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stresses that it is impossible to believe Russia, which is waging a full-scale war against Ukrainians, with respect to its so-called "guarantees" not to attack the south of Ukraine while exporting grain.

Source: Speaker of Ministry of Foreign Affairs Oleh Nikolenko on Twitter

Quote from Nikolenko: "Lavrov's words are empty. Ukraine has made its position on the sea ports clear: military equipment is required to protect the coastline and a navy mission to patrol the export routes in the Black Sea.

Russia cannot be allowed to use grain corridors to attack southern Ukraine."

Details: Nikolenko illustrated his statement with Lavrov's statement that the Russians "are not going to attack the Ukrainian people".

Previously: Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergei Lavrov said that Russian and Turkish military personnel are discussing the details of demining Ukrainian ports for the export of grain.

Russia, they say, "guarantees the safe approach of ships after unblocking ports and will not use the occasion in support of the special operation".

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine emphasised that guarantees should be provided by supplying appropriate weapons to Ukraine to protect the coast from threats from the sea and by involving naval forces of third countries to patrol the relevant part of the Black Sea.

Background: Russia mined and blockaded the Black Sea waters, ironically accusing Ukraine [of doing it], the country against which Russia is waging war. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Dmytro Kuleba, stressed that the guarantees of the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, cannot be trusted – his words are empty.

Due to the blockading of ports, 23.5 million tons of grain and oilseed remain in Ukraine.