Putin ‘harming millions’, Starmer claims amid Russian attacks on Black Sea ports

Sir Keir Starmer has accused Vladimir Putin of “harming millions of susceptible people” arsenic caller British quality suggests ships carrying nutrient assistance person been caught up successful Russian attacks connected Ukraine’s ports.

Among the merchant ships deed by Russian missiles since the commencement of October was 1 bound for Palestine with UN nutrient aid, recently released British quality suggests.

The strikes amusement Mr Putin is consenting to “gamble connected planetary nutrient security”, the Prime Minister said, arsenic others deed successful the crossfire were carrying atom heading for the planetary south.

Attacks connected Ukraine’s Black Sea ports person ramped up arsenic the harvest play begins successful the war-torn nation, which remains a large cultivation shaper cardinal to nutrient information successful Africa.

Sir Keir said: “Russia’s indiscriminate strikes connected ports successful the Black Sea underscore that Putin is consenting to gamble connected planetary nutrient information successful his attempts to unit Ukraine into submission.

“In doing so, helium is harming millions of susceptible radical crossed Africa, Asia and the Middle East, to effort and summation the precocious manus successful his barbaric war.”

The Prime Minister added: “In caller weeks, we person seen reporting that the Kremlin has been forced to crook to North Korea to supply troops to substance its self-destructing warfare machine, an embarrassing and hopeless act, and present they are intensifying attacks connected areas of Ukraine that enactment the planetary southbound with much-needed food.

“Russia has nary respect for the norms and laws that govern our planetary system. Not lone was their amerciable penetration a blatant onslaught connected the principles of the UN Charter, but the mode they person executed their warfare successful Ukraine shows nary respect for quality life, oregon the consequences of their penetration crossed the world.”

British quality suggests 4 merchant vessels were struck by Russian munitions betwixt October 5-14, including the MV Shui Spirit, which was carrying sunflower lipid arsenic portion of a UN shipment to Palestine from Chornomorsk port.

Ships leaving Odesa and Yuzhny larboard were besides struck by Russian weapons, with quality suggesting astatine slightest immoderate of the attacks whitethorn person been intentional.

The UK has meantime announced £2.26 cardinal much backing for Ukraine arsenic portion of a G7 indebtedness strategy aimed astatine helping Volodymyr Zelensky’s federation wage for its military, fund and reconstruction needs.

Britain is besides donating £120 cardinal toward the Maritime Capability Coalition, a strategy it runs alongside Norway to support the Black Sea utilizing maritime surveillance drones.