By Don Silas UN Secretary-General, António Guterres has condemned the missile strike on the Ukrainian port of Odessa, which came one...
By Don Silas
UN Secretary-General, António Guterres has condemned the
missile strike on the Ukrainian port of Odessa, which came one day after Kiev
and Moscow struck a deal to unblock grain exports.
The Ukrainian military said two Russian missiles were
intercepted by air defences on Saturday and two others hit the commercial port
on the Black Sea.
The United Nations and Turkey had helped broker the
agreement amid worries about growing global food insecurity.
“The secretary general unequivocally condemns reported
strikes today in the Ukrainian port of Odessa,” his deputy spokesman Farhan Haq
said in a statement.
“Yesterday, all parties made clear commitments on the global
stage to ensure the safe movement of Ukrainian grain and related products to
global markets.
“These products are desperately needed to address the global
food crisis and ease the suffering of millions of people in need around the
globe.
“Full implementation by the Russian Federation, Ukraine, and
Turkey is imperative,” the statement said.
Meanwhile, top EU foreign affairs envoy Josep Borrell wrote
on Twitter: “EU strongly condemns Russian missile strike on Odessa’s seaport.
“Striking a target crucial for grain export a day after the
signature of Istanbul agreements is particularly reprehensible and again
demonstrates Russia’s total disregard for international law and commitments.”
In the agreement, Russia pledged to allow ships to sail
through a designated sea corridor and not to fire on them.
The ports involved were also not to be attacked.
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