Renewed attacks on Black Sea ports, civilian vessels and agricultural infrastructure are alarming and have contributed to a sharp increase in global wheat prices, a senior UN official has said.
Speaking at the UN, Director of the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Kayoko Goto said the Ukrainian ports of Odesa, Chornomorsk, Pivdennyi, Izmail and Mykolaiv have been under sustained attack.
Goto claimed that one missile strike near Odesa hit a Guinea-Bissau-flagged grain carrier, killing 10 people. In a separate attack, five people were killed and 10 injured aboard a Togolese-flagged vessel.
She also said reports indicate that more than 100 ships were struck in the Sea of Azov this month, disrupting maritime navigation.
Citing data from the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), Goto said global wheat prices have risen by 20% since the beginning of July, reaching their highest level since March 2024.
