Russians already stolen several hundred thousand tonnes of Ukrainian grain – Agrarian Policy Ministry

First Deputy Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine Taras Vysotskyi announced this during a nationwide telethon on Ukrainian TV channels, Ukrinform reports, referring to the ministry’s page on Facebook.

"The Russians are using the tactics of the early twentieth century to steal grain and export it from Ukraine. Today we have confirmed facts that several hundred thousand tonnes of grain have already been exported from Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Luhansk and Donetsk regions," he said.

According to Vysotskyi, there are about 1.5 million tonnes of grain in these territories in the farm stocks accumulated for sowing and processing (for making flour, baking bread).

"This is a significant stock. At international prices, it costs hundreds of millions of dollars. And there is a great risk that it will simply be stolen and taken away in favor of Russia," said the deputy minister.

As reported, the website of the Legislative Assembly of Krasnoyarsk Krai of the Russian Federation published a text about plans to "expropriate the surplus harvest of farmers in Kherson region."

Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights Lyudmila Denisova said that Russian aggressors were exporting grain and food products from the temporarily occupied territories.

In this regard, Ukraine demands that Russia stop the illegal theft of grain, unblock Ukrainian ports, restore freedom of navigation and allow passage of merchant ships, and calls on the international community to strengthen economic sanctions in order to stop Russia's armed aggression against Ukraine.

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