DISINFO: Russia suspended the Black Sea Grain initiative because of Ukraine's terrorist attacks
SUMMARY
Russia rightfully suspended its participation in the Black Sea Grain initiative because of the terrorist attacks in Sevastopol. The grain did not go to poor countries, but for some reason ended up in rich EU countries. Furthermore, the EU broke the deal by not lifting sanctions on Russian grain exports.
RESPONSE
The text utilises a popular, multifaceted pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative aiming to deflect Russia’s responsibility for the growing food crisis and supply insecurity caused by the Kremlin’s decision to suspend its participation in the Black Sea grain initiative. Furthermore, the article argues that most of Ukraine's grain ships are sent to rich European countries – a claim that was neither counterbalanced nor critically challenged in the article.
Russia made the decision to suspend its participation in the deal after drone attacks on the Russian Black Sea Fleet's Sevastopol Headquarters. Still, just a few days later, Russia reversed its decision in what seemed to be a PR move to avoid international blame and the strong critique coming from the initiative’s two other main players: Ankara and the UN.
Moscow accused Ukraine of perpetrating terrorist attacks on Russia’s Black Sea Fleet with the help of the UK. However, the British Defense Ministry has officially denied any accusations of terrorism by stating that “To detract from their disastrous handling of the illegal invasion of Ukraine, the Russian Ministry of Defence is resorting to peddling false claims of an epic scale”. Ukraine has neither confirmed nor denied it was behind the attacks. However, even if we accept the Kremlin’s version of events - namely that the drone strikes were orchestrated by Ukraine’s military intelligence - this does not change the fact that this purported attack would constitute not an act of terrorism, but lawful sabotage under international humanitarian law (IHL).
Regarding the claim that most of Ukraine’s grain shipments are sent to rich EU countries, it is easily rebutted by reviewing the database of the UN Black Sea Grain Initiative. As of 23 September, out of the 203 shipments, less than half (92) headed to EU countries. The majority headed for other countries, such as Turkey, Egypt, China, and India. Importantly, this doesn’t mean that these are the final destinations of the grain shipments as they are redistributed from receiving harbors to other countries. Furthermore, as of 3 November, seven vessels carrying a total of 290,102 metric tons of grain and food products were transiting the maritime humanitarian corridor.
See other similar disinformation narratives in our database, such as claims that Ukrainian grain exports do not affect global prices, or Russia suspended grain deal because all Ukrainian grain goes to Europe, or Russia should not be accused of withdrawing from the Black Sea grain deal.