Russia's missile attack casts serious doubt on its commitment to grain deal: US

US secretary of state Antony Blinken said the Russian missile strike on the Ukrainian Black Sea port of Odessa "casts serious doubt on the credibility of Russia's commitment to the grain deal and undermines the work of the UN, Turkey and Ukraine to get critical food to world markets."

Ukraine said it had shot down two Russian cruise missiles but two more hit the Odessa port putting the grain deal with Russia at risk. Ukraine's foreign ministry shot back at Russia's strike calling it a "spit in the face" even as President Volodymyr Zelenksy blamed Russia for not keeping its promises.

"This proves only one thing: no matter what Russia says and promises, it will find ways not to implement it," Ukraine's president said.

Watch:Russian missiles hit Odessa port just a day after grain deal,says Ukraine

Odessa is one of the key ports for grain exports which has been designated in the grain deal between Ukraine and Russia although reports claimed food stocks weren't hit.

UN Secretary-General AntónioGuterres, who was present during the grain deal, condemned the attack as EU's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell blamed Russia for the attack calling it "reprehensible".

However, Turkey's defence minister Hulusi Akar said Russian authorities had said they were not responsible for the attack. There has been no official reaction from Russia on the incident. President Zelensky had earlier put the responsibility on the United Nations to enforce the grain deal.

Large quantities of wheat and other grain have remained trapped in Ukrainian ports for months ever since President Vladimir Putin declared "special military operation" against Ukraine in February.

President Zelensky had said 20 million tonnes of last year's produceand this year's harvest worth $10 billion was ready to be exported as Russia's defence minister Sergei Shoigu had said just hours after the deal was signed that the movement of grain could start within a few days.

The latest Russian strikes come as President Putin's forces continue to pound the eastern Donetsk region. Reports claimed Russia targeted railway infrastructure and a military airfield in Kirovograd on Saturday with missiles in which at least three people were killed and several wounded.

(With inputs from Agencies)

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