Ukrainian expert: Worsening food crisis in the world has been caused by Russia's blockade of the Black Sea

The worsening food crisis in the world has been caused by Russia's blockade of the Black Sea, Ukrainian expert Alexander Kovalenko told Report's Eastern European bureau.

Regarding Russia's strikes on the port of Odesa, the expert said that by doing so, Russia violated the provisions of the agreement it had signed:

"This is yet another proof that Russia's signature under any agreement or contract is of no value. The situation remains tense. This shows that Russia is not trying to solve the current situation."

Kovalenko stressed that grain export from Ukraine would take place:

"This attack shows many things, but it cannot completely prevent a process on which people's lives depend, not the prosperity of some countries. For example, whether there will be hunger in the Central African countries by the end of the year, mass and illegal migration to the EU depends specifically on Ukrainian grain. Whether stability will be disturbed in African countries due to hunger, economic collapse, radicalism, and terrorism will arise depends on the export of Ukrainian grain. I do not exclude that a terrorist organization like ISIS can use the existing social distrust in African countries to create a new field of operations to start and expand future terrorist activities. We understand how global this problem is. Therefore, I believe that no one will want to cancel the positive provisions contained in these agreements."

At the same time, the expert said that the Russian side would try to prevent the fulfillment of these provisions, by all means, that is, it will continue to attack Ukrainian grain ports: "Because this meets its interests. Russia wants to pressure and blackmail the international community by creating and deepening a food crisis. For this reason, I think, despite continuous pressure from Russia, the problematic provisions of these agreements will be implemented."