The number of hungry people is rapidly growing in the world. Today, one in eleven people on the planet is already undernourished. In times of humanitarian and food crises, Russia’s actions create additional threats to global stability, exacerbating the situation.
On September 12, 2024, Russian forces committed another act of aggression, launching a missile strike on a civilian vessel that was transporting Ukrainian grain to Egypt. The attack occurred immediately after the vessel left Ukrainian territorial waters, threatening the security of vital food supplies to the region.
This attack was the latest example of Russia’s use of maritime terror tactics. Since the beginning of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia has blockaded Ukrainian ports on the Black Sea, preventing the export of grain and other food products. Moreover, Russia continues to use stolen Ukrainian grain for its own needs: recently, two Russian ships sent stolen grain from occupied Feodosia and Sevastopol to Egypt.
Such actions pose a serious threat to global food security. With more than 400 million people around the world dependent on Ukrainian food exports, Russia’s blockade of the Black Sea and regular attacks on infrastructure have led to a sharp rise in food prices and intensification of shortage of food in Africa, Asia and other regions.
Despite all the threats, Ukraine continues its efforts to ensure global food security. In 2023-2024, the country exported about 70 million tons of grain, oil seeds and butter. The Grain from Ukraine program has already provided 8 million people in Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya, Yemen and others with food. However, Russia withdrew from the Black Sea Grain Initiative in July 2023. It destroyed almost 300,000 tons of grain since July in attacks on Ukraine’s port facilities, which sharply reduced grain exports by millions of tons.
While the West considers Ukraine’s need to use long-range weapons against military airfields and other strategic targets in Russia, Moscow continues its aggressive actions, threatening peace and food security. Delays in decision-making only exacerbate the consequences of Russian aggression, putting the lives of millions of people at risk. If the world community seeks stability and security, it is vital to provide Ukraine with all the support it needs, including permission to strike military targets in Russia, to stop the spread of global threats from the Kremlin.