Russia's leading grain lobby group warned Friday that Ukrainian drone attacks targeting Russian ships and port infrastructure could disrupt Black Sea grain exports in the near term, driving up prices and worsening food security in Africa and the Middle East.
Russia, the world's largest wheat exporter, and Ukraine, also a major agricultural exporter, have been attacking each other's agricultural export facilities and commercial vessels in the Black Sea area in recent weeks.
Concerns over supplies from the Black Sea have driven wheat prices higher in recent weeks as Russia and Ukraine have stepped up their attacks.
Russia's Union of Grain Exporters and Producers told Reuters that the consequences of the Ukrainian attacks would be felt by many countries soon.
"The disruption to shipping in the Black Sea caused by Ukrainian attacks on dry cargo vessels and port infrastructure poses a direct threat to global food security," the union said in a statement to Reuters.
