KIEV/ MOSCOW — The transport of Ukrainian grain was blocked in the Black Sea on Sunday after Russia suspended the export agreement, which is vital for global food supplies, a decision blasted by Kiev, Washington and the EU.

Moscow said the decision was taken after a drone attack on the ships in Crimea, but Ukraine denounced it as a “false pretext” and called for pressure to be brought to bear to ensure that Russia “recommits to its obligations”.

The Joint Coordination Centre (JCC) overseeing the agreement confirmed that no cargo movements had been approved for Sunday. Nine cargo ships were able to use the Black Sea corridor on Saturday and “more than ten others” are ready to do the same in both directions, it said.

Russia’s abrupt move on Saturday to halt the UN-brokered Black Sea grain deal has caused an international outcry and dealt a blow to attempts to ease the world’s food crisis.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia was trying to create an artificial famine in Africa, the Middle East and South Asia, calling for a strong response from the United Nations and the G20 major economies.

The European Union called on Russia to reverse its decision to pull out of the deal, while US President Joe Biden said the move was “purely outrageous” and would increase starvation.

Moscow said it was suspending its participation in the agreement, which allowed Ukraine to export agricultural produce, blaming Ukrainian attacks on ships in Crimea.

The deal has seen more than nine million tons of grain exported from Ukraine during the war and has brought down soaring global food prices.

“This is a completely transparent attempt by Russia to return to the threat of large-scale famine for Africa, for Asia,” Zelensky said in a video address, calling for Russia to be kicked out of the G20.

On Sunday Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba took to Twitter to accuse Russia of pre-planning its move and creating a “false pretext of explosions 200 kilometers away from the grain corridor”.

The EU accused Moscow of putting at risk supply routes to address the global food crisis caused by its war in Ukraine.

“Russia’s decision to suspend participation in the Black Sea deal puts at risk the main export route of much needed grain and fertilizers to address the global food crisis caused by its war against Ukraine,” EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on Twitter.

“Any act by Russia to disrupt these critical grain exports is essentially a statement that people and families around the world should pay more for food or go hungry,” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said Ukraine attacked the Black Sea Fleet near Sevastopol on the Russian-annexed Crimean peninsula with 16 drones early on Saturday. Ukraine has denied the attack, saying that the Russians mishandled their own weapons.

Moscow pointed the finger at British navy “specialists” it accused of helping to coordinate the “terrorist” attack, and also alleged British navy personnel had blown up the Nord Stream gas pipelines last month.

Its claim, unaccompanied by any evidence, prompted London to respond that it was false and designed to distract from Russian military failures in Ukraine.

The Russian declaration came one day after UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres urged Russia and Ukraine to renew the grain export deal, which was scheduled to expire on Nov. 19.

Ahead of the expiry, Russia had repeatedly complained of problems, while Kiev said Moscow had blocked almost 200 ships from picking up grain cargoes.

The grain deal — brokered by the United Nations and Turkey in July — enabled Ukraine to export grain and to ease Russian agricultural and fertilizer exports. — Euronews