The United Nations on Monday said no ships involved in a U.N.-brokered Ukraine Black Sea grain export deal were transiting a maritime humanitarian corridor on the night of Oct. 29, when Russia says its vessels in Crimea were attacked.
Russia has accused Ukraine of using air and maritime drones to target vessels in the Bay of Sevastopol early on Saturday. Russia's defence ministry suggested one of the drones may have been launched from a civilian vessel chartered by Ukraine or a Western country to export food from Ukrainian ports.
Ukraine has neither confirmed nor denied it was behind the attack, but says Russia's navy is a legitimate military target.
Responding to Russia's accusation about possible misuse of cargo ships, U.N. aid chief Martin Griffiths told the U.N. Security Council on Monday: "None were in the corridor on the night of the 29th of October when the reported attacks took place, and no vessel reported an incident over the weekend."
After Saturday's attack Moscow said it was suspending its participation in the July 22 deal that allowed Ukraine to restart food exports stalled by Russia's invasion on Feb. 24. No ships transited the maritime humanitarian corridor on Sunday.
"Today 12 ships sailed out from Ukrainian ports and two headed in to load food," Griffiths told the 15-member council.
"We're very encouraged by Russia's assurance ... that it is not pulling out of the initiative ... it is only temporarily suspending activities in the implementation of the initiative," he said, adding that the U.N. understand was that the deal and "commitments remain in force even during the suspension."
More than 9.5 million tonnes of corn, wheat, sunflower products, barley, rapeseed and soy have been exported from Ukraine under the deal, according to the United Nations.
The package deal also aims to facilitate exports of Russian grain and fertilizer exports. Griffiths heads talks on Ukrainian exports, while senior U.N. trade official Rebeca Grynspan leads discussions on Russian food and fertilizer exports.
Russian grain exports have also increased since July, Grynspan told the U.N. Security Council on Monday.
"Exports from the Russian Federation tripled between July and September, while wheat exports from Ukraine more than quadrupled over the same period of time, resulting in lower food prices in international markets and improved access to food for humanitarian actors," Grynspan said.
But she said more work needed to be done to alleviate a chilling effect of Western sanctions on Russian fertilizer exports, citing over compliance, reputational risks and market avoidance by the private sector.
