Blood on your Corn Flakes?

Russian agricultural exports to Europe are financing the genocide of Ukrainians

Russia continues to try to sabotage the Black Sea Grain Initiative, which is a key tool in preventing a global food crisis and the flow of hundreds of thousands of refugees to Europe. Russia is also working on "grey schemes" to export stolen Ukrainian grain from Ukraine's occupied territories: on 7th May, the first ship loaded with grain from the Donetsk region left the port of Mariupol. The Russians have deliberately expanded the area of this infrastructure facility in preparation for the impending transport of grain, by which means the Kremlin will try to squeeze Ukrainian grain from the world market. The West must respond to Russia's criminal efforts: every dollar from export revenues to the Russian budget contributes to the ongoing genocide of Ukrainians. Putin is using all financial and economic resources to continue the war. Russia is an existential threat to the world.

The 11th sanctions package to be adopted by the EC should include a ban on grain and food imports from Russia. Russia takes every opportunity to secure its economic presence in the West and maintain its leverage over Europe. The result of such actions is the inflow of foreign currency into the Russian budget, which the Kremlin immediately uses to continue its war against Ukraine. The Russian military-industrial complex has significantly degraded since the collapse of the USSR, so Putin's regime is importing weapons from abroad. It is a well-known fact that the Russian air force massively uses Iranian drones against Ukrainian cities - and exclusively civilian targets. The last such strike by Iranian drones was carried out by Russia on 8th May; 36 drones were launched in the direction of the Ukrainian capital. Such tactics are a classic example of terror like the Nazi blitz of London using "doodlebugs" in the 1940s. Putin finances his blitz on Kyiv in part through the proceeds of cereal crop sales.

The stable export of Ukrainian grain is the key to preventing hunger in needy countries. In turn, Europe which has no shortage of food, should boycott all Russian food products including grain and cereal crops.