Russia has suspended its participation in the UN-brokered grain export deal after what it described as a "massive" Ukrainian drone attack on its Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol, Crimea. The Russian defence ministry said one warship was damaged in the attack on Saturday, which involved nine unmanned aerial vehicles. Ukraine has not commented on the claim.
Moscow, without providing evidence, accused British military personnel of assisting in the attack and of involvement in the recent Nord Stream pipeline blasts. The UK Ministry of Defence dismissed the allegations as "false claims of an epic scale", saying they reflected internal arguments within the Russian government rather than Western actions.
The Russian defence ministry asserted that the targeted ships had been involved in ensuring the maritime corridor for grain exports as part of the international initiative. Hours later, Moscow announced its suspension from the agreement, which had allowed Ukraine to resume vital Black Sea grain exports and ease the global food crisis. Kyiv has previously accused Russia of delaying vessel inspections and creating a queue of more than 170 ships.
The attack comes as Ukrainian forces continue to reclaim territory occupied since Russia's full-scale invasion began on 24 February. In response, Russia has launched large-scale strikes on Ukrainian infrastructure, particularly the energy grid. Crimea, annexed by Russia in 2014, holds deep symbolic significance for President Vladimir Putin and has been a key staging ground for Russian forces.
Mikhail Razvozhaev, the Russian-installed governor of Sevastopol, said the navy had repelled the "most massive" attack on the city since February, with all drones shot down and no civilian infrastructure damaged. The Russian defence ministry said four marine unmanned vehicles were destroyed on the outer roadstead and three more on the inner. The attack follows other recent incidents in Crimea, including the sinking of the flagship Moskva in April and a blast on the Crimean bridge earlier this month.
