Ukraine's losses from Russian grain theft exceed UAH 30 billion

Yurii Belousov, Head of the Department for Combating Crimes Committed in Armed Conflict at Ukraine's Office of the Prosecutor General, stated this.

Belousov stated that Russia aims to undermine Ukrainians' livelihoods by either stealing or destroying grain. He noted that Ukraine's grain losses already exceed UAH 30 billion.

“We identified two phases of Russian attacks on agricultural infrastructure related to the ‘grain deal.’ Before the deal was signed, Russia used artillery to target agricultural sites in frontline areas. The most affected regions were Mykolaiv, with 59 attacks, and Kherson, with 78 attacks,” said the prosecutor.

He noted that after Ukraine rejected Russia's threatening conditions, the scale of the attacks increased significantly. The Odesa region, known for its advanced infrastructure, became the primary target.

According to Belousov, Russia began deploying a variety of destructive weapons, including Shahed drones, Iskander missiles, tactical aviation missiles, and sea- and land-based missiles.

“Given the scale of these crimes, we can see evidence of a crime against humanity and, more broadly, elements of genocide aimed at creating conditions for the physical destruction of a nation. This is about depriving a nation of the means to survive, knowing the critical importance of grain,” Belousov stressed.

• Russian troops attacked a civilian ship carrying wheat in the Black Sea with a Kh-22 missile. The ship, which was heading to Egypt, was targeted outside the Ukrainian grain corridor.