INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Ukraine's maritime grain exports were halted Sunday after Russia suspended its participation in a landmark agreement that allowed the vital
shipments, blaming drone attacks on its ships in Crimea.The July deal to unlock grain exports signed between Russia and Ukraine and brokered
by Turkey and the UN, is critical to easing the global food crisis caused by the conflict.The agreement had already allowed more than 9
million tons of Ukrainian grain to be exported and was due to be renewed on Nov
19.On Saturday, Russia said it was halting its participation after its army accused Kyiv of a "massive" drone attack on its Black Sea fleet,
which Ukraine labelled a "false pretext."U.S
President Joe Biden called the move "purely outrageous" while Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Moscow was "weaponizing food."On
Sunday, the EU urged Russia to "revert its decision."The center coordinating the logistics of the deal said in a statement that no traffic
was planned for Sunday."A joint agreement has not been reached at the JCC for the movement of inbound and outbound vessels on 30 October,"
"There are more than ten vessels both outbound and inbound waiting to enter the corridor."Ukraine and the UN have urged that the agreement
remains in force."I call on all states to demand that Russia stop its hunger games and recommit to fulfilling its obligations," Ukrainian
intention of Russia to return the threat of large-scale famine to Africa and Asia.""Just today, more than 2 million tons of food are in the
This means that access to food has actually worsened for more than 7 million consumers," he said in his nightly address.Stephane Dujarric,
spokesman for the UN secretary-general, said: "It is vital that all parties refrain from any action that would imperil the Black Sea Grain
Initiative which is a critical humanitarian effort."'Peddling false claims'Sevastopol in Moscow-annexed Crimea has been targeted several
times in recent months and serves as the headquarters for the Black Sea fleet and a logistical hub for operations in Ukraine.The Russian
terrorist act carried out by the Kyiv regime with the participation of British experts against ships of the Black Sea fleet and civilian
vessels involved in the security of grain corridors, Russia suspends its participation in the implementation of the agreement on the export
of agricultural products from Ukrainian ports," the Russian defense ministry said on Telegram.Moscow's forces alleged British "specialists,"
Nord Stream gas pipelines last month.Britain strongly rebutted both claims, saying "the Russian Ministry of Defense is resorting to peddling
false claims of an epic scale."Russia's foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Saturday Moscow would raise the blasts and the
alleged drone attack at the UN Security Council.Moscow's military said ships targeted at their Crimean base were involved in the grain
deal.The United Nations Coordinator for the Black Sea Grain Initiative, Amir Abdulla, reported that Russia had notified him earlier Saturday
of "its concerns about the safety of movements of merchant vessels" under the agreement.Russia had recently criticized the deal, saying its
boats and ferries and urged people "not to panic."Attacks on Crimea, annexed by Moscow in 2014, have increased in recent weeks, as Kyiv
