Live blog: Istanbul coordinate centre for Ukraine grain export set to open

 

Ukrainian military reports widespread Russian artillery barrages and says Moscow's troops are preparing for a new assault on Bakhmut, a city in the industrial Donbass region, as fighting rolls into its 153rd day.

A landmark deal signed in Türkiye will ensure the safe passage of food grains through three Ukrainian Black Sea ports of Odessa, Chernomorsky and Yuzhny, with a centre in Istanbul monitoring commercial vessels. (Reuters)

Tuesday, July 26, 2022

Istanbul centre to coordinate Ukrainian grain exports to open Wednesday

A new joint coordination centre in Istanbul established as part of the deal to restart Ukrainian grain exports to the world is set to officially open on Wednesday, according to the Turkish Defence Ministry.

Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar will attend the centre’s opening ceremony, which will be held at the National Defence University in Istanbul.

Last Friday, Türkiye, the UN, Russia and Ukraine signed a landmark deal to resume grain exports through three Ukrainian ports after months of blockage due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, now in its sixth month. Under the deal, the joint coordination centre was set up in Istanbul to carry out inspections at harbors’ entrances and exits, and to ensure the safety of the routes.

Russian forces strike Mykolaiv port infrastructure – mayor

Russian forces have struck port infrastructure in Ukraine's southern Mykolaiv region, Mayor Oleksandr Senkevich said.

"A massive missile strike was launched on the south of Ukraine from the direction of the Black Sea and with the use of aviation," he told Ukrainian state television, providing no details on the aftermath of the strike.

Major fire erupts at Donetsk oil depot after Ukraine shelling: TASS

A major fire has broken out at an oil depot in the Budyonnovsky district of Russian-backed Donetsk People's Republic in eastern Ukraine after Ukrainian troops shelled the province, Russia's TASS reported, quoting a reporter at the scene.

No casualties or injuries have been reported so far due to the fire, which was tens of meters high, TASS added. The TASS report was not immediately verified. 

Ukraine says Russia increased gas pipeline pressure without notice

Russian gas giant Gazprom has sharply increased pressure in the pipeline that delivers Russian gas to Europe without prior notice, the Ukrainian state pipeline operator company said.

Such pressure spikes could lead to emergencies including pipeline ruptures, and pipeline operators are obliged to inform each other about them in advance, the Ukrainian company said.

Gazprom could not be immediately reached for comment. Russia has continued to pump gas through Ukraine even as the two countries are engaged in conflict.

 

Russia's war on Ukraine is the biggest European conflict in decades.

But as it enters its sixth month, there's also concern that the West may be starting to lose interest pic.twitter.com/PLis93O0QW

— TRT World (@trtworld) July 25, 2022

 

Britain says 'no indication’ Ukraine target was at location of Russia strike 

Britain has said there is "no indication" that a Ukrainian warship and a stock of anti-ship missiles were at the dock-side in Odesa port on Sunday, after Russia earlier said it had destroyed those targets with high-precision missiles.

"Russia will continue to prioritise efforts to degrade and destroy Ukraine's anti-ship capability. However, Russia's targeting processes are highly likely routinely undermined by dated intelligence, poor planning and a top-down approach to operations," the British Ministry of Defence said in a regular intelligence update.

Ukrainian military has said two Kalibr missiles fired from Russian warships hit the area of a pumping station at the Odesa port and two others were shot down by air defence forces.

Latest Russian gas cuts ‘politically motivated’, EU energy chief says

Russian gas giant Gazprom's announcement that it will further slash deliveries to Europe this week is politically motivated, European Union energy policy chief Kadri Simson has said, disputing the company's claim that it had cut supply because it needed to halt the operation of a turbine.

"We know that there is no technical reason to do so. This is a politically motivated step and we have to be ready for that. And exactly for that reason, the pre-emptive reduction of our gas demand is a wise strategy ," Simson said on her arrival to a meeting of EU countries' energy ministers in Brussels.

Simson said she expected the ministers to reach a deal on emergency EU rules requiring countries to curb their gas demand. 

 

There were no barriers to the export of grain from Ukrainian ports and strikes on Odessa port were at a "considerable distance" from the grain terminal - Russian FM Sergey Lavrovhttps://t.co/kBFl78zhrk

— TRT World (@trtworld) July 25, 2022

Zelenskyy: Russia wages 'open gas war' against united Europe

Gazprom, the Russian energy giant, has said it is cutting daily deliveries of gas to Europe via the Nord Stream pipeline to 33 million cubic metres a day –– about 20 percent of the pipeline's capacity –– from Wednesday, leading Ukraine to call the West to action over the "gas war".

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the cuts showed that Europe should bolster sanctions against Russia. "This is an open gas war that Russia is waging against a united Europe," Zelensky said.

"They don't care what will happen to the people, how they will suffer –– from hunger due to blocked ports, from winter cold and poverty... or the occupation. These are just different forms of terror," he said in his daily video message.

"That is why you have to hit back. Do not think about how to bring back the turbine, but strengthen the sanctions," he said.

US: Russian strike on Odessa port casts doubt on grain deal

Russia's attack on the Ukrainian port of Odessa "casts doubt" on a grain deal, the White House has said, adding that the United States would continue to explore options with the international community to increase Ukraine exports through overland routes.

The announcement comes after the Kremlin said it did not expect the Saturday missile strike targeting military infrastructure in Ukraine would affect a plan to restart exports from the country.

"We are going to be watching this closely to see if Russia meets their commitments under this arrangement since this attack casts serious doubt on Russia’s credibility," a National Security Council spokesperson said in a statement.

Source: TRTWorld and agencies 

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