Russia to send free wheat and petroleum to Lebanon: Ambassador
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The Russian ambassador to Lebanon stated that the Russa has agreed to provide free wheat and oil derivatives at the request of the Lebanese government.
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A collapsed portion, right, lies on the ground of the silos that damaged during the August 2020 massive explosion in the port, in Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday, Aug. 23, 2022 (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)
In light of the grave economic crisis afflicting Lebanon, Russia is coordinating the technical aspects of the supply of wheat and oil goods to Beirut, according to Alexander Rudakov, the Russian ambassador to Lebanon.
The ambassador stated that the Russian leadership has agreed to provide free wheat and oil derivatives at the request of the Lebanese government.
"At this stage, the technical coordination of the transfer of these products is underway," Rudakov said.
The envoy stated, that in 2022, approximately 714 tons of Russian sunflower oil were given to Lebanon.
In November, Lebanon's acting Minister of Public Works and Transport, Ali Hamieh, informed Sputnik that Russia will provide Lebanon with 25,000 tons of wheat and 10,000 tons of petroleum at no cost. The minister stated that the delivery dates will be set later.
Lebanon has witnessed a severe economic collapse since late 2019, which led to popular demonstrations caused by the difficult economic and living situation.
The exchange rate of the Lebanese pound against the dollar gradually declined until it lost more than 85% of its value by June 2021, and more than half of the population became below the poverty line in light of a high unemployment rate.
World Bank said in a report that the crisis in Lebanon, both economically and financially, is likely to rank top 10 "most severe crises episodes globally since the mid-nineteenth century."
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