Russian state-aligned media published documents it claims “confirm” that Ukraine was developing components for biological weapons.
Russian news outlet RIA cited the Russian defense ministry, which in turn claimed that it obtained the documents from the Ukrainian health ministry.
China’s agriculture minister reported over the weekend that the recent winter wheat harvest could be the “worst in history,” providing further justification to buy from Russia.
Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Tang Renjian said rare heavy rainfall last year delayed the planting of about one-third the normal wheat supply, leading to a roughly 20% shortage in crop yield.
The war between Russia and Ukraine, which together produce roughly 29% of global wheat exports, had already pushed wheat prices to an incredible 14-year high.
The shortage could create food security issues for China, driving it to buy wheat from Russia. The two countries worked out a deal on Feb. 24 that allowed China to import wheat from all regions of Russia, which could provide Russia with greater funds for its war and further relief from devastating sanctions on its economy.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Foreign Affairs Minister Dmytro Kuleba reported Sunday that Russian forces attacked a civilian airport with eight cruise missiles.
“Against our city, against our peaceful Vinnytsia which never posed a threat to Russia in any way,” Zelenskyy said in a video posted on Twitter. “A brutal, cynical missile strike has completely destroyed the airport.”
Kuleba labelled the attack as “barbaric,” and both officials renewed their calls for a no-fly zone over Ukraine.
The Russian Embassy in Israel pushed back on the reports by writing that the airport is “dual-purpose” and serves as a base of operations for the aviation brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.