Russia is weaponising food
Russia is weaponising food

Author(s): Iwona Wiśniewska
Subject(s): Agriculture, International relations/trade, Political behavior, Financial Markets, Peace and Conflict Studies, Russian Aggression against Ukraine
Published by: OSW Ośrodek Studiów Wschodnich im. Marka Karpia
Keywords: Russia; Black Sea Grain Initiative; Russian exports of agricultural products and mineral fertilisers;
Summary/Abstract: The Kremlin has made further attempts in recent months to use the food market to intensify pressure on the West, primarily in order to ease the sanctions imposed on the Russian Federation. For example, Moscow is again threatening to pull out of the Black Sea Grain Initiative which enables Ukrainian food to be exported through Odesa’s ports. The escalation of the Kremlin’s demands is based on false accusations that the Western coalition is blocking Russian exports of agricultural products and mineral fertilizers. Over the past few months, Russian exports of these goods have grown dynamically and the export volume has returned to the pre-invasion level; in the case of grain it is now definitely higher. Last year, despite the decline in the volume of supplies, their value increased significantly and accounted for 10% of Russia’s export revenues. This not only ensured the inflow of currency to Russia but, given that selected members of the Putin elite are among the direct beneficiaries of these exports, it enabled them to further build their fortunes. The Kremlin’s threats should therefore be seen on the one hand as a test of the West’s unity and determination to continue its sanctions policy towards Russia, and on the other as an attempt to maximize public revenues from the export of agricultural products and mineral fertilizers.

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