Russia attacks Odessa hours after negotiating a grain agreement with Ukraine

Updated on July 26, 2022 10:16 AM by Andrew Koschiev

Antonio Guterres

Antonio Guterres appeared both relieved and anxious as he saw the signing of the grain export contract he had negotiated in Istanbul on Friday.

After Russia, Ukraine, and Turkey signed the agreement, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said it was a "beacon of hope" for the world's poor. As a result of Guterres' diplomatic struggle, which included travels to Moscow and Kyiv to secure the accord, the limits of trusting Russia were exposed.

Ceasefire

A ceasefire isn't specifically stated in the agreement, but Russia's commitments are quite clear: As stated by Guterres' office, the Russian Federation has agreed to support the unfettered shipment of food, sunflower oil, and fertilizers.

Odesa's harbor

Two Russian Kalibr cruise missiles smashed into Odesa's harbor less than a day after the agreement was signed, shattering the post-deal quiet.

Shattered windows

Buildings more than a mile distant had their windows shattered. In response to many boat fires, a large number of firefighters were dispatched to the port. One harbor worker was reportedly hurt, according to authorities.

$6 million precise missiles

Two more of the $6 million precise missiles had been knocked down by Ukraine's air defense, reducing the potential damage. As the intercept exploded high over their heads, beachgoers in Odesa, who had to compete for space with Russian tourists last year, celebrated.

Ukraine and its allies have decried Russia's apparent postscript to the grain deal it had signed as proof of its deceit.

Oleksiy Goncharenko

"Russia is proving they intend to continue to undermine the world's food security," Oleksiy Goncharenko, a Ukrainian member of parliament, told CNN hours after the incident.

U.S. Sec. of State Antony Blinken

U.S. Sec. of State Antony Blinken said that the strike "undermines the efforts of the UN, Turkey, and Ukraine to deliver crucial food to international markets" because it "casts considerable doubt on the reliability of Russia's promise."

UK Foreign Minister Liz Truss and Russia's first reaction

UK Foreign Minister Liz Truss remarked, "It proves that not a word [Russian President Vladimir Putin] says can be believed." Astonishingly, Russia's first reaction was to deny the strike.

"In no uncertain terms," the Kremlin assured Ankara, a co-signatory to the agreement and an arbitrator supervising its safe and fair execution, that it had nothing to do with this act.

Maria Zakharova

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, on the other hand, went back on her word barely 12 hours later. It was, in fact, a Russian strike, she said, and it had destroyed Ukrainian "military facilities" in the harbor, she added.

According to Ukraine, the Odesa port pumping facility was targeted by the strikes.

Russian officials are used to obfuscation like this, and that's the idea. Despite all of Guterres' efforts and diplomatic boost, the grain agreement has had little effect on Moscow's strategy for waging the conflict.

Relationship with Turkey

As a side effect, Russia has damaged its relationship with Turkey, their mediator in this transaction, by exposing Moscow's unclear connection with the truth.

Joint Command Centre (JCC)

The agreement stipulates that Turkey will create a Joint Command Centre (JCC) with UN assistance to oversee adherence to the conditions of the accord. The Russians, in keeping with their cynical attitude to the entire war in Ukraine, have already sunk all hope.

Concessions in exchange

A worldwide food crisis has resulted from the Russian invasion of Ukraine, but Moscow was able to get concessions in exchange for the release of Ukraine's grain. Extortion is a common term for it.

Sanctions on food and fertilizer

Guterres had to make a parallel arrangement with Russia, essentially relaxing sanctions on food and fertilizer, in order to induce Russia to deliver the grain by releasing blockades on Ukrainian ports. It is based on "the idea that restrictions imposed upon Russia do not apply to these items," according to UN officials.

Yurii Vaskov

The Ukrainian deputy infrastructure minister Yurii Vaskov says technical meetings to implement the deal are ongoing. Ukraine is determined to start grain export as soon as possible. Putin has perhaps revealed, like Tolkien's Smaug, a potentially fatal vulnerability in his defenses. Whatever his other reasons for agreeing to the deal, the need to pay for the war likely weighs the heaviest.