The White House warned on Wednesday that Russia may expand its targeting of Ukrainian grain facilities to include attacks against civilian shipping in the Black Sea.
Adam Hodge, White House National Security Council spokesperson, said U.S. officials have information indicating Russia laid additional sea mines in the approaches to Ukrainian ports.
‘We believe that this is a coordinated effort to justify any attacks against civilian ships in the Black Sea and lay blame on Ukraine for these attacks,’ he said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday made clear that Russia was not continuing the grain deal allowing Ukraine to export food to the world’s most needy countries.
Both Odessa and Mykolaiv – targeted overnight by Russia – are the ports used to export grain.