The U.S. warned on Wednesday that Russian aggression against Ukrainian grain facilities may be extended to include attacks on civilian shipping in the Black Sea.
The White House’s National Security Council spokesman, Adam Hodge, claimed that the United States has knowledge that Russia laid extra sea mines on the way to Ukrainian ports. Hodge added that Russia had declared that all ships in Black Sea waters en route to Ukrainian ports would be regarded as potential carriers of military cargo.
“We believe this is a coordinated effort to justify any attacks on civilian ships in the Black Sea by blaming Ukraine,” he stated.
“In addition to this coordinated effort in the Black Sea, we have already observed that on July 18 and 19, Russia targeted Ukraine’s grain export ports in Odesa with missiles and drones, resulting in the destruction of agricultural infrastructure and 60,000 tons of grain,” he said.
Ukraine accused Russia on Wednesday of causing damage to its grain export infrastructure through terrible overnight attacks on two of its Black Sea ports and vowed not to be deterred from working to maintain grain exports from these ports.