Russians get key ports ready for grain exports

Kremlin says weapons checks needed on ships as gains made in east Ukraine

LONDON/MOSCOW/TOKYO－Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said on Tuesday that the Ukrainian ports of Berdyansk and Mariupol on the Sea of Azov, seized by Russian forces, have been demined and are ready to resume grain shipments.

"The demining of Mariupol's port has been completed. It is functioning normally, and has received its first cargo ships," Shoigu told a Defense Ministry meeting in televised remarks.

Agricultural exports from southern Ukraine have been blocked since Russia started its "special military operation" in late February, driving grain prices higher.

Moscow says it was forced to engage in the conflict in Ukraine because of NATO's expansion. It says Western sanctions are to blame for the situation, which has threatened to trigger a global food crisis.

But the Kremlin said on Tuesday that Ukraine needed to demine the approaches to its ports in order for ships to be cleared by the Russian military before they could export grain.

Ukraine is the world's fourth-largest grains exporter.

Global wheat prices hit record highs in March and the surge in food prices has triggered protests, as well as contributing to an acceleration in headline inflation rates throughout the world.

Ukraine's grain, oilseed and vegetable oil exports rose 80 percent in May month-on-month to 1.74 million metric tons, but the volumes are still significantly below the exports in May 2021, the Agriculture Ministry said on Tuesday.

The United Nations is working on plans with Kyiv and Moscow for how to restart grain exports from Ukrainian ports, with Turkey possibly set to provide naval escorts to ensure safe passage out of the Black Sea, Reuters reported.

Ukraine is receiving weapons and ammunition from the West. That assistance has become a target for Russian artillery and warplanes. Russia claimed on Tuesday that its forces took out two artillery systems given by the United States and a howitzer supplied by Norway.

Shoigu also said on Tuesday that Russian troops had been in full control of the residential areas of Severodonetsk, a key city in Ukraine's east.

Severodonetsk－the largest city still in Ukrainian hands in the Lugansk region of eastern Ukraine－has been the focal point of fighting in recent weeks.

Shoigu said Russian armed forces had created the "necessary preconditions for the full resumption of railway traffic between Russia, the Donbas, Ukraine and Crimea" and had started delivery of cargo to the Ukrainian cities of Mariupol, Berdyansk and Kherson" on 1,200 kilometers of reopened railway tracks.

He added that 6,489 Ukrainian military personnel have surrendered to Russian forces since the start of the military operation, including 126 in the past five days.

Japan, NATO step up ties

In Asia, Japanese and NATO officials agreed on Tuesday to step up military cooperation and joint exercises as they said Russia's military operation of Ukraine is causing a deterioration of the security environment in Europe and Asia.

Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi said after meeting with NATO Military Committee chief Rob Bauer that Japan hopes to strengthen its ties with European countries and welcomes NATO's expanded involvement in the "Indo-Pacific" region.

Bauer's visit to Tokyo came as Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force participates in NATO naval exercises in the Mediterranean Sea.

Japan has been increasing its military capabilities and cooperation with Europe, in addition to its alliance with the US and partnerships with other countries in the "Indo-Pacific" region and beyond.

On Tuesday, Japanese and US fighter jets conducted joint flight drills over the Sea of Japan, Japan's Defense Ministry announced.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has been invited to a NATO summit later this month, and is reportedly considering attending the meeting, which would make him the first Japanese leader to do so.

After the Russia-Ukraine conflict erupted, Japan quickly joined the US and Europe in imposing sanctions against Russia.

Agencies via Xinhua