Ukraine war: Russia says ammonia pipeline blast may end grain deal

Russia has accused Ukraine of sabotaging a key ammonia pipeline and blamed them for a recent blast that damaged the Togliatti-Odesa pipeline. Moscow claims that the incident may have a negative impact on efforts to renew a grain export deal between the two countries. However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has denied these allegations and suggested that the explosion was likely caused by Russian shelling.

The pipeline, spanning 2,500 kilometers from Togliatti in Russia to three Black Sea ports in southern and western Ukraine, used to export 2.5 million tonnes of ammonia annually before operations were halted due to the Russian invasion in 2022. As part of the negotiations for the grain export deal last year, Ukraine and Russia agreed to ensure the safe passage of ammonia through the pipeline. The current agreement is set to expire on July 17.

The Kremlin expressed concerns about the pipeline blast, stating that it would negatively affect discussions on renewing the grain export deal. Russian officials mentioned uncertainty about the extent of the damage and the actions Ukraine would take. The Russian foreign ministry estimated that it would take one to three months to repair the damaged section, but the Industry and Trade minister stated that Moscow has no access to the affected area.

Ukraine strongly denied any involvement in the blast and instead accused Russia of conducting the attack. President Zelensky emphasized that the explosion occurred in a “grey zone” between territories controlled by Ukraine and Russia. He drew a distinction between this incident and the blast at the Khakovka dam, labeling the latter as terrorism orchestrated by Russia.

Reports have also emerged suggesting a Ukrainian counteroffensive in the southern region of Zaporizhzhia. However, Ukrainian officials, including the secretary of the national security council, denied these claims and stated that any offensive action would be publicly known. US officials have indicated that while a Ukrainian counteroffensive may be in its initial stages, the main thrust of the operation has not yet begun.

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