00:30Mandatory credit: Russian Federal Customs Service
A large cargo of wheat was seen being prepared for shipment to Africa at Russia’s Novorossiysk port. Footage released on Wednesday shows the process of loading the supplies on to the vessel.
"A marine vessel arrived at the Novorossiysk sea port to load 25,000 tonnes of wheat. The cargo is intended for an African country as humanitarian aid. Customs officers carried out the necessary activities on a priority basis and released the goods," the Federal Customs Service (FCS) reported
On August 22, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Moscow would deliver 25,000-50,000 tonnes of grain to six African countries free of charge, during a video address to the BRICS Business Forum on the sidelines of the 15th summit in Johannesburg.
It came after the Black Sea grain deal, signed in Istanbul in July 2022 between representatives of Russia, Turkey, Ukraine and the United Nations, expired on July 17.
That agreement allowed for the export of both Ukrainian grain and Russian food and fertilisers, although Moscow repeatedly insisted the latter part of the deal was not being implemented.
The Russian Foreign Ministry claimed that 'the blatant sabotage' of the Istanbul agreements 'defeats the purpose of continuing the Black Sea Initiative which did not live up to its humanitarian rationale', while Kremlin spokesperson Dmitri Peskov said that it could return 'as soon as the Russian part is implemented'.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Kiev was determined 'to continue the work of the Black Sea Grain Initiative or its counterpart in a tripartite format'.
While Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in July that he believed the Russian leader 'wants the continuation of this humanitarian bridge', on November 8, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that UN efforts to revive the grain deal were failing, with Russia’s 'part of the package <…> absolutely down at zero level'.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also admitted it would be 'difficult' to resume the agreement on the safe export of Ukrainian grain through the Black Sea.
Moscow launched a military offensive in Ukraine in late February 2022 after recognising the independence of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics (DPR and LPR), claiming that Kiev had failed to guarantee their special status under the 2014 Minsk Agreements, and urging Ukraine to declare itself officially neutral and give assurances that it would never join NATO.
Kiev denounced the Russian action as an invasion. Zelensky imposed martial law throughout the country, announcing a general mobilisation, while the EU and the US imposed several rounds of sanctions on Moscow.
25,000 tonnes of grain shipped from Russia's Novorossiysk port to Africa
A large cargo of wheat was seen being prepared for shipment to Africa at Russia’s Novorossiysk port. Footage released on Wednesday shows the process of loading the supplies on to the vessel.
"A marine vessel arrived at the Novorossiysk sea port to load 25,000 tonnes of wheat. The cargo is intended for an African country as humanitarian aid. Customs officers carried out the necessary activities on a priority basis and released the goods," the Federal Customs Service (FCS) reported
On August 22, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Moscow would deliver 25,000-50,000 tonnes of grain to six African countries free of charge, during a video address to the BRICS Business Forum on the sidelines of the 15th summit in Johannesburg.
It came after the Black Sea grain deal, signed in Istanbul in July 2022 between representatives of Russia, Turkey, Ukraine and the United Nations, expired on July 17.
That agreement allowed for the export of both Ukrainian grain and Russian food and fertilisers, although Moscow repeatedly insisted the latter part of the deal was not being implemented.
The Russian Foreign Ministry claimed that 'the blatant sabotage' of the Istanbul agreements 'defeats the purpose of continuing the Black Sea Initiative which did not live up to its humanitarian rationale', while Kremlin spokesperson Dmitri Peskov said that it could return 'as soon as the Russian part is implemented'.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Kiev was determined 'to continue the work of the Black Sea Grain Initiative or its counterpart in a tripartite format'.
While Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in July that he believed the Russian leader 'wants the continuation of this humanitarian bridge', on November 8, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that UN efforts to revive the grain deal were failing, with Russia’s 'part of the package <…> absolutely down at zero level'.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also admitted it would be 'difficult' to resume the agreement on the safe export of Ukrainian grain through the Black Sea.
Moscow launched a military offensive in Ukraine in late February 2022 after recognising the independence of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics (DPR and LPR), claiming that Kiev had failed to guarantee their special status under the 2014 Minsk Agreements, and urging Ukraine to declare itself officially neutral and give assurances that it would never join NATO.
Kiev denounced the Russian action as an invasion. Zelensky imposed martial law throughout the country, announcing a general mobilisation, while the EU and the US imposed several rounds of sanctions on Moscow.
Mandatory credit: Russian Federal Customs Service
A large cargo of wheat was seen being prepared for shipment to Africa at Russia’s Novorossiysk port. Footage released on Wednesday shows the process of loading the supplies on to the vessel.
"A marine vessel arrived at the Novorossiysk sea port to load 25,000 tonnes of wheat. The cargo is intended for an African country as humanitarian aid. Customs officers carried out the necessary activities on a priority basis and released the goods," the Federal Customs Service (FCS) reported
On August 22, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Moscow would deliver 25,000-50,000 tonnes of grain to six African countries free of charge, during a video address to the BRICS Business Forum on the sidelines of the 15th summit in Johannesburg.
It came after the Black Sea grain deal, signed in Istanbul in July 2022 between representatives of Russia, Turkey, Ukraine and the United Nations, expired on July 17.
That agreement allowed for the export of both Ukrainian grain and Russian food and fertilisers, although Moscow repeatedly insisted the latter part of the deal was not being implemented.
The Russian Foreign Ministry claimed that 'the blatant sabotage' of the Istanbul agreements 'defeats the purpose of continuing the Black Sea Initiative which did not live up to its humanitarian rationale', while Kremlin spokesperson Dmitri Peskov said that it could return 'as soon as the Russian part is implemented'.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Kiev was determined 'to continue the work of the Black Sea Grain Initiative or its counterpart in a tripartite format'.
While Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in July that he believed the Russian leader 'wants the continuation of this humanitarian bridge', on November 8, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that UN efforts to revive the grain deal were failing, with Russia’s 'part of the package <…> absolutely down at zero level'.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also admitted it would be 'difficult' to resume the agreement on the safe export of Ukrainian grain through the Black Sea.
Moscow launched a military offensive in Ukraine in late February 2022 after recognising the independence of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics (DPR and LPR), claiming that Kiev had failed to guarantee their special status under the 2014 Minsk Agreements, and urging Ukraine to declare itself officially neutral and give assurances that it would never join NATO.
Kiev denounced the Russian action as an invasion. Zelensky imposed martial law throughout the country, announcing a general mobilisation, while the EU and the US imposed several rounds of sanctions on Moscow.