Delaying ship inspections under Grain Deal, Moscow denies the accusations

Russia denies the allegations of intentionally protracting inspections of ships under the UN-brokered Black Sea grain deal, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Saturday, adding that Ukraine compiled lists for inspections and passage.

"We cannot confirm the information from the UN press release about more than 100 ships involved in the initiative and staying in Turkiye's territorial waters and about the average waiting time of 21 days. At present, there are 64 vessels in Ukrainian ports and inspection zones. Ukrainian representatives compile lists for their inspections and passage. Russian representatives have nothing to do with this," the ministry said in a statement.

On January 18, the United Nations published an update on the Black Sea grain initiative, saying that there were "more than 100 vessels in Turkish territorial waters connected to the Initiative, 32 are waiting for inspection, while the rest have applied to participate in the Initiative." The UN also urged all parties to "work to remove obstacles for the reduction of the backlog and improve operational efficiencies" within the Joint Coordination Center.
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*The United Nations has not helped to normalize exports of Russian agricultural products and fertilizers, as the Black Sea Grain Initiative is hardly progressing and there are no results in the implementation of the Russia-UN memorandum, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Saturday.*

"If the implementation of this strictly humanitarian initiative meets with such difficulties, the UN cannot be said to have helped normalise our exports of agricultural products and fertilisers. Talk about the threats of hunger and global food security is just a cover for servicing the commercial contracts of Ukrainians and the economic interests of the Western beneficiaries," the ministry said in a statement.

The department added that the Memorandum of Understanding between Russia and the UN on promoting Russian food products and fertilizers to the world markets was mentioned only in one paragraph of the organization's bulletin.

"UN officials have nothing to say (as distinct from the Black Sea Initiative) about specific results of implementing the said agreement. Against the backdrop of numerous declarations by Washington, Brussels and London that unilateral sanctions do not apply to food and fertilisers, they are simply assuring the public of the continued efforts to ensure relevant withdrawals. If there are no restrictions, what is the need for withdrawals," the statement read.

In addition, the Russian Foreign Ministry said the UN made no effort to resolve the issue with the resumption of ammonia transit via the Tolyatti-Odesa pipeline.

"The UN officials, who are vigorously calling for increasing grain export from Ukraine, are doing nothing to resolve this issue. They refer to some talks, although it is not clear who is taking part in these talks and what they concern, since no representatives from Russia are involved in any such thing," the statement read.
#grain #graincorridor #grainagreement #odessa #export #ports #ukrainianports
#agriculturalproducts #blacksea #blackseafleet
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In Bosphorus line of ships stretched for many kilometers, traffic south to north still prohibited:
[https://youtu.be/0zSK_xo3YD8]
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Bosphorus was blocked for the movement of ships, Ship en Route from Ukraine runs Aground:
[https://youtu.be/IGxuHKC_rug]
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Bosphorus Strait congestion from tankers, Moscow and Ankara are in coordination:
[https://youtu.be/7c_ANmPxa1k]
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Related 2:
Russia suspends participation in the "grain agreement": Russian MoD, FM:
[https://youtu.be/ar-cBNBjv34]