DISINFO: The global food crisis is a consequence of Western sanctions against Russia
SUMMARY
The global food crisis was the result of massive Western sanctions against Russia. It disrupted the logistics, trade and economic relations of this country with foreign investors.
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about EU and US sanctions and the global food crisis.
Conflict, climate change and the lasting impacts of COVID-19 have devastating effects on local and global food systems and the people who rely on them. In fact, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, in its annual reports, signaled a constant deterioration of food security in the world (even prior to Russia's invasion of Ukraine).
However, Russia’s unprovoked aggression against Ukraine has significantly worsened these challenges and vulnerabilities.
Since the start of its aggression, Russia has been shelling Ukrainian energy, transport and water infrastructure, including the destruction of Kakhovka dam, which brings another challenge to global food security. Russia has deliberately burnt crops and stole Ukrainian cereals. By destroying agricultural and transport infrastructure and equipment and fuel storage, as well as mining the agricultural land Russia has undermined long-term food production in Ukraine and its export capacities.
Russia has fuelling the global crisis with its own export restrictions put in place on the export of fertilisers (export quotas) and by contributing to high fertilisers prices.
Contrary to Russia’s disinformation, the disruption of agricultural production and trade in Ukraine and the spike in global food prices is not caused by EU sanctions - but the very own actions of the Russian Government.
The EU sanctions imposed on Russia and Belarus do not target the agricultural sector. The purchase, import and transport of agricultural and food products are exempted from the ban on Russian-flagged vessels.
It is Russia, not the EU or the "West", which brings uncertainty around the uninterrupted functioning of the Black Sea Grain Initiative and the export of Ukrainian agriculture product through the Black Sea to the world market.
See here a similar disinformation claim, alleging that Ukraine and the West don’t contribute to global food security and here a case accusing the EU sanctions of undermining the global food security.