DISINFO: The West swallowed food from Ukraine like a vacuum cleaner, disregarded the poorest countries
SUMMARY
The poorest countries received less than 3% of all food supplies under the Black Sea Grain Transport Initiative.
The global food market crisis did not result from the Russian military operation in Ukraine, but rather was triggered by the West through its practices.
The West swallowed the food like a vacuum cleaner during the coronavirus pandemic period, without caring about other countries. The countries in need should not suffer, and Russia did everything to allow Ukrainian grain to reach African countries.
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about war in Ukraine and food security meant to deflect Russia's responsibility for a potential global food crisis.
Context: This disinformation is launched at the same time as Russia is sending public signals that it will no longer extend the Black Sea Grain Initiative medio July 2023. This disinformation serves as attempts to reduce the public criticism which can be expected from populations in countries dependent on the grain export. With short extensions of the UN/Ankara-brokered deal, Russia has been trying to choke an important export route for Ukraine's agriculture export.
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 further fuelled 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.
According to data from the the UN Joint Coordination Centre, developing countries received 57% of the grains exported under the Black Sea Grain Initiative. While it is true that there are some gaps to be filled when it comes to grains reaching the least developed countries (LDC), these were not caused by the West and in fact Western countries expend great effort to try and address them.
The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) says that despite the persistence of gaps caused by the war, the initiative has significantly increased exports of grains to LDCs. For example, since the Initiative started, Ukrainian wheat exports to LDCs more than doubled compared to the start of the Russia's unprovoked full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Read similar disinformation cases claiming that Western sanctions cause food crisis and price growth, that the food crisis has nothing to do with the Russian special operation, that Russia places no obstacles on the export of Ukrainian grain, or that Only 5% of the grain that the West exports from Ukraine goes to the poorest countries.
This disinformation claim was broadcast on the date mentioned above. Due to the EU decisions to temporarily restrict the spread and dissemination of RT, Sputnik and other instruments used to manipulate information and promote disinformation about the invasion of Ukraine inside the EU, access to the link may not work inside the EU.