Russia pretends to suffer from grain deal, while in fact doubling grain exports - Ukraine at UNSC

This was reported by Ukrinform's own correspondent in New York.

"It is disgusting that Russia still pretends to be on the losing side of the deal. I will not even remind the Council of the immorality of such complaints from the aggressor state, which has been and remains the only threat to food shipments in the Black Sea," Kyslytsya said, noting that Russian wheat exports in January-February 2023 almost doubled year on year.

"We therefore consider these speculations to be an attempt to whitewash Russian deliberate practices to weaponize food supplies and we urge the international community to give a resolute response," he added.

The permanent ambassador noted that Russia was preventing the transportation of Ukrainian grain by sea in every possible way.

Since 1 May the inspection rate has dropped to an average of 2.9 inspections per day, compared to 6.6 in the period of August 2022 – April 2023.

"In April we were able to export through the grain corridor less than 3 million tons, which is only a half of our agricultural export capacities," Kyslytsya said.

He told the members of the Security Council that the date of May 18, to which the grain agreement was extended, was determined only because of Russia's position.

The Black Sea grain initiative does not end this week, he explained, adding that at the same time, this week is the deadline for Russian blackmail.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, on Monday the UN Security Council discussed the humanitarian situation in Ukraine caused by the Russian war.