Vladimir Putin has ramped up his attacks on Ukrainian ports, threatening global stability, Sir Keir Starmer said – as he appeared to issue a coded warning to countries that are growing too close to Moscow.
Russian strikes on Black Sea ports are delaying and stopping vital food supplies reaching Gaza and the Middle East, Africa and Asia, the Prime Minister said.
UK intelligence suggests ships carrying grain are increasingly being hit by Russian strikes as it steps up its attacks during harvest season in Ukraine, which remains a major global supplier of agricultural produce which is crucial to global food security.
The Prime Minister appeared to deliver a coded warning to countries around the world from cosying up to Moscow, as the leaders of key UK allies India and South Africa snub the Commonwealth heads of government (Chogm) summit Sir Keir will attend this week in favour of the Brics meeting in Russia, where Mr Putin is pushing his anti-West “new world order” agenda.
As he travelled to Chogm in Samoa, the Prime Minister said the “indiscriminate strikes” show Russia is “willing to gamble on global food security” and push up food and fuel prices, as he highlighted the impact of the attacks on countries and regions attending the Brics summit in Kazan as the West and Russia and its allies vie for influence in the so-called “Global South”.
UK defence intelligence suggests the strikes have delayed a ship carrying food aid for Gaza, as well as hitting grain bound for Egypt, and two vessels carrying corn, of which Ukraine is China’s second biggest supplier, as well as World Food Programme shipments bound for southern Africa.
Russia, India, China, South Africa and Egypt are all Brics members, alongside Iran, Ethiopia, and the United Arab Emirates.
Sir Keir said: “Russia’s indiscriminate strikes on ports in the Black Sea underscore that Putin is willing to gamble on global food security in his attempts to force Ukraine into submission.
“In doing so, he is harming millions of vulnerable people across Africa, Asia and the Middle East, to try and gain the upper hand in his barbaric war.
“In recent weeks, we have seen reporting that the Kremlin has been forced to turn to North Korea to provide troops to fuel its self-destructing war machine, an embarrassing and desperate act, and now they are intensifying attacks on areas of Ukraine that support the Global South with much-needed food.
“Russia has no respect for the norms and laws that govern our international system. Not only was their illegal invasion a blatant attack on the principles of the UN Charter, but the way they have executed their war in Ukraine shows no respect for human life, or the consequences of their invasion across the world.”
UK defence intelligence lays bare Russian strikes
According to British defence intelligence, at least four merchant vessels were hit by Russian munitions in Ukraine between 5 and 14 October.
On 5 October, the St Kitts and Nevis-flagged MV Paresa merchant ship was “almost certainly” the target of a Russian strike on Yuzhny port, intelligence suggests.
On 7 October, there was a “realistic possibility” that the Palau-flagged MV Optima was collateral damage of an attack on Odesa port infrastructure, and was likely further damaged on 15 October.
On 8 October, there was the “realistic possibility” that the Panama-flagged MV Shui Spirit was targeted by Moscow as it prepared to carry vegetable oil destined for the World Food Programme in Gaza from Chronomorsk port.
On 14 October, the Belize-flagged NS Moon was “likely” collateral damage in a strike on Odesa port.
It came as the UK announced a further £2.26bn in loans, backed by profits on seized Russian sovereign assets, to help Ukraine fund its military, budget and reconstruction.
The UK is at the forefront of protecting the Black Sea maritime corridor alongside Norway, and is donating an additional £120m to a project to help Ukraine develop a fighting force and equipping its navy with sea-surface drones to protect shipping in the area.
The Government is seeking partners to co-fund to the tune of £100m the delivery of hundreds more maritime drones – both aerial and uncrewed boats – as well as surveillance radars to protect the grain corridor.
It came as Defence Secretary John Healey said North Korean troops supporting Russia on the ground in Ukraine is a “shocking” and “desperate” new development in the war.
South Korea’s spy agency said on Friday it had confirmed that North Korea sent 1,500 special operations forces to Russia earlier this month to support Moscow’s war against Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also said his government had intelligence that 10,000 North Korea soldiers were being prepared to join invading Russian forces.
Mr Healey told MPs: “North Korean soldiers supporting Russia’s war of aggression on European soil, it is as shocking as it is desperate.
“North Korea already sends significant munitions and arms to Russia in direct violation of multiple UN resolutions.
“This developing military co-operation between Russia and the DPRK [North Korea] has serious security implications for Europe and for the Indo-Pacific.
“It represents a wider, growing alliance of aggression which Nato and the G7 nations must confront.
“Despite this dangerous development, Ukraine remains determined to fight on their front line in the east and in the territory in Kursk.”
