Damage assessment of Russia pipeline in return for resuming grain deal
The proposal is done by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres who brought forth this "solution" to address Russia's concerns about export restrictions on food and fertilizer
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UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres speaking at a press conference (AFP)
The United Nations' proposals for the resumption of the Black Sea Grain Initiative may include provisions for assessing the damage to the Togliatti-Odessa pipeline, which pumped Russian ammonia to foreign markets but was damaged in a sabotage act, the Turkish newspaper Sabah reported.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres recently sent a letter to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov proposing specific solutions to address Russia's concerns about restrictions on the country's food and fertilizer exports to global markets.
As of Friday, UN Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric stated that Guterres had not yet received a reply from Russia regarding his new proposal. The Black Sea Grain Initiative, which was previously mediated by Turkey and the UN, expired on July 18.
Russia did not renew its participation, citing unfulfilled components related to its grain and fertilizer exports, specifically concerning the reconnection of Russian banks to SWIFT and the unblocking of the Tolyatti-Odesa ammonia pipeline.
What do you need to know?
On June 5, a Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance group blew up the Togliatti-Odessa ammonia pipeline near the settlement of Masyutovka in Kharkov Region, as per the Russian Defense Ministry.
At the time, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova stated that repairing the pipeline could last a few months in the case that Russia could access the site.
The Togliatti-Odessa ammonia pipeline goes from the Russian province of Samara to Kharkov, then south and west to the Black Sea coastal city of Odessa, where the resource is exported. Ammonia is a significant basic element utilized in natural fertilizer enrichment.
The pipeline, built in 1979 soviet-era, could transport up to 2.5 million tonnes of ammonia per year until recently.
Russia has attempted to revive the pipeline as part of the Grain Deal and issued a warning in May that if its demands to link the Russian Agricultural Bank to SWIFT and reopen the pipeline were not met, the Grain Deal would be canceled on July 17.
The attack on the pipeline is the second major act of environmental terrorism that Ukraine has been accused of by Moscow.
The Kakhovka dam in southern Ukraine was also blown by shelling unleashing a flood of water across the war zone.
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