Russia suspends, not withdraws from grain export deal with Ukraine: Defense Ministry

MOSCOW -- The Russian Defense Ministry announced Monday that as the main participant in the Black Sea Grain Initiative, Russia does not withdraw from it but suspends it.

Russia has halted traffic along the security corridor in the Black Sea defined by the grain export deal with Ukraine, the ministry said in a statement, accusing Kiev of launching military attacks via the humanitarian route.

"The movement of ships along the security corridor is unacceptable since the Ukrainian leadership and the command of the Ukrainian Armed Forces use it to conduct military operations against Russia," the statement said.

"There is no question of guaranteeing the security of any object in the corridor until the Ukrainian side accepts additional obligations not to use this route for military purposes," it said.

The ministry said the Russian side has conveyed its position to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the UN Security Council, and hopes that the UN will assist in obtaining guarantees from Ukraine "not to use the humanitarian corridor and Ukrainian ports designated for the export of agricultural products for conducting military operations against Russia."

On July 22, Russia and Ukraine separately signed a document in Istanbul with Türkiye and the United Nations on grain and fertilizer exports from Ukraine and Russia to ensure supplies to global markets amid the Russia-Ukraine armed conflict.

On Oct. 29, Russia announced the decision to immediately and indefinitely suspend its implementation of the Black Sea Grain Initiative, accusing Ukraine of launching drone attacks against the Russian Black Sea Fleet's ships and infrastructure at the naval base in Sevastopol.