Russia resumes grain deal, stays cautious of Ukraine guarantee breach
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The resumption was dependent on obtaining guarantees from Ukraine that it would not use the grain corridor for military purposes.
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Russia resumes grain deal, stays cautious of Ukraine guarantee breach
In a meeting with permanent members of the security council on Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said the Russian Defense Ministry was instructed to resume its engagement in the grain deal.
Yet, Russia remains cautious to withdraw its commitments if Kiev breaches the guarantees it provided earlier in the day about the non-use of the grain corridors for military purposes.
"In this regard, I have given instructions to the Ministry of Defense to resume our full participation in this work. At the same time, Russia reserves the right to withdraw from these agreements if these guarantees are breached by Ukraine," Putin said.
The Russian President further added that Russia will not obstruct the flow of grain from Ukraine to Turkey in the future due to Ankara's neutrality and the capabilities of its grain processing industry.
"And besides, in the future we will not hinder the supply of grain from the territory of Ukraine to the Republic of Turkey, bearing in mind Turkey's neutrality in the conflict as a whole, and the possibilities of the grain processing industry of the Republic of Turkey and the efforts of [Turkish] President Erdogan aimed at ensuring the interests of the poorest countries. We have no doubts here, and we will continue to cooperate with the Republic of Turkey in any case," Putin said during a meeting with permanent members of Russia's Security Council.
Read more: Russia examining parts of UAVs used in Sevastopol attack: Moscow
On October 29, Russia announced it had suspended the UN-brokered grain deal after Kiev waged drone attacks on Russian ships in Crimea's Sevastopol.
On October 30, it was reported that a total of 218 ships that were intended to export grains remain stuck as a result of that suspension.
On October 31, Russia demanded Ukraine provide it with "commitments" not to use the grain exports corridor for military purposes.
Since Putin stated today that he had obtained these guarantees from Ukraine, he announced that he instructed the Ministry of Defense to resume the grain deal operations.
Earlier today, Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) announced that it prevented an act of sabotage by the Ukrainian special services at an energy infrastructure facility in Crimea.
"A sabotage planned by the Ukrainian special services at an energy infrastructure facility in the Republic of Crimea was prevented. As a result of a complex of operational and search measures, a citizen of Ukraine was detained," the FSB said in a statement.
Three explosives, in addition to instructions for their use and a diagram of the location of power transmission towers in one of Crimea's regions, were seized during the detention, according to the statement.
Read more: Russian FSB thwarts terrorist attack in Crimea, arrests 6
