The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine accused Russia of continuing the "case of Stalinists and Nazis" after the deputies of the Krasnoyarsk Territory Assembly proposed to export grain from the Kherson region illegally.
According to a statement from the ministry's website, "such a decision by the Legislative Assembly of the Krasnoyarsk Territory is nothing more than a direct continuation of the criminal policy of the Soviet government responsible for the mass artificial famine in Ukraine in 1921-1923, the Holodomor of 1932-1933 and mass artificial famine of 1946-1947 ".
"Marauding export of grain from the Kherson region and blocking shipments from Ukrainian ports and mining of waterways threaten the food security of the world," the statement says.
The illegal export of Ukrainian grain is another evidence of Russia's destructive actions, which, in particular, violate the basic principles of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) - food security and hunger prevention. According to the Ukrainian Ministry, expropriation is nothing but theft of grain, a robbery of farmers. Such policy of the aggressor questions its participation in FAO and other international organisations," the Ministry said.
The agency stressed that Russia is robbing Ukraine and consumers abroad.
"The United Nations estimates that about 1.7 bn people may face poverty and hunger due to food disruptions caused by a full-scale war waged by Russia against Ukraine. In addition, Russia continues to deliberately block crops in Ukraine, destroying agricultural machinery and rocketing strikes across the territory of our state, " the Ministry noted.
According to the agency, Ukraine provides food to almost 400 million people worldwide, and Ukrainian grain is traditionally exported to Europe, North Africa, the Middle East and Asia.
The MFA of Ukraine demands that Russia stop the illegal theft of grain and "unblock Ukrainian ports, restore freedom of navigation and allow the passage of merchant ships." The Ministry also called on the international community to strengthen economic sanctions to stop Russia's armed aggression and to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe and the deterioration of the food security situation in the world.
Deputies of the Krasnoyarsk Territory of the Russian Federation want to take out grain illegally from the territory of the Kherson area to solve problems of own food fund.
The invaders issued an ultimatum to the farmers of the Kherson region - the occupiers would allow sowing only grain and sunflower if the Ukrainians agreed to give free 70% of the future harvest.