Russia has accused Ukraine of being responsible for an explosion on a vital ammonia pipeline, stating that it could negatively influence the renewal of a major grain export settlement. The Togliatti-Odesa pipeline was broken in a blast on Monday, which Moscow attributes to Ukrainian “sabotage” teams. The Kremlin has declared that it will not renew last year’s grain export take care of Kyiv unless the pipeline is useful.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, however, has denied these allegations, suggesting that the explosion was extra likely a results of Russian shelling. Before the warfare, the two,500-kilometre pipeline, running from the Russian metropolis of Togliatti to three Black Sea ports in southern and western Ukraine, exported 2.5 million tonnes of ammonia yearly. The pipeline ceased operations following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
In talks to secure grain exports from Ukraine last year, Kyiv and Moscow agreed on the protected passage of ammonia through the pipeline, a vital element in fertiliser manufacturing. The vital deal, mediated by the UN and Turkey, was initially agreed upon in June 2022 for a hundred and twenty days and has been extended thrice since. The current settlement is about to run out on 17 July.
Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov informed reporters that the blast could solely have a negative impact on the renewal of the deal, including that the state of affairs is difficult. Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova acknowledged that it would take between one and three months to restore the injury to the pipeline. However, Industry and Trade minister Denis Manturov mentioned that Moscow has no access to the damaged part.
Ukraine has firmly denied any involvement in the explosion, insisting that Russia orchestrated the attack. President Zelensky highlighted the difference between the pipeline explosion and the blast at the Khakovka dam, calling the latter an act of terrorism.
In different news, Russian pro-war bloggers have speculated that a long-awaited Ukrainian counteroffensive has begun in the southern region of Zaporizhzhia. Up-sell , a correspondent for Russian state tv channel Rossiya 24, claimed that Ukrainian tanks had launched attacks on Russian lines in the region, which had been subsequently repelled. Russian-installed governor of occupied Zaporizhzhia, Vladimir Rogov, also believed that there had been an attempted full-scale offensive within the region..