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UN Rights Chief Says Russian Actions Increased Food Prices

by VOA News

   U.N. human rights chief Volker Türk said Monday that Russia's
   withdrawal from the Black Sea Grain Initiative and Russian attacks on
   Ukrainian grain facilities have pushed food prices "sky high" in many
   developing countries.

   Speaking to a session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Türk said
   the spike in prices has taken "the right to food far out of reach for
   many people."

   He specifically highlighted the situation in Somalia, saying the
   country has long depended on wheat from Ukraine and Russia and that the
   breakdown of the grain deal "was particularly damaging."

   The Black Sea Grain Initiative allowed Ukrainian grain to be exported
   via the Black Sea. Russia exited the deal in July, complaining that a
   parallel deal for removing obstacles to Russian food and fertilizer
   exports had not been honored.

   Ukraine's military intelligence said Monday that Ukrainian forces had
   retaken control of several offshore gas and oil drilling platforms near
   Crimea.

   It said on Telegram that the operation included Ukrainian special
   forces on boats who damaged a Russian Su-30 fighter jet and captured
   helicopter ammunition and radar equipment.

   The military said Russia had occupied the platforms since 2015 and had
   used them for military purposes.

   Some information for this story came from The Associated Press, Agence
   France-Presse and Reuters.