Russia: No barriers to Ukraine grain export

The Kremlin has said that Russian strikes on Ukraine's Black Sea port of Odessa "should not affect" a Türkiye-UN brokered deal between Moscow and Kiev to unblock grain exports.

"This cannot and should not affect the start of shipment," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Monday, two days after Moscow hit the port.

He said Russia's strikes targeted "exclusively" military infrastructure and were "not connected with the agreement on the export of grain."

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said there were no barriers to the export of grain from Ukrainian ports, repeating that the strike had been aimed at military infrastructure in the port, at a "considerable distance" from the grain terminal.

"There is nothing in the obligations that Russia took on that would forbid us from continuing the special military operation," Lavrov added, referring to the grain deal signed in Istanbul.

The weekend strikes on Odessa came less than a day after Moscow and Kiev signed the landmark deal to release grain exports from Ukraine's ports. Odessa is one of three export hubs designated in the agreement.

READ MORE: How Türkiye made Ukraine grain exports deal with Russia possible

'Doubt' on Russian commitment

Ukrainian officials said grain was being stored in the port at the time of the strike, although the food stocks did not appear to have been hit.

Western countries denounced Russia's move, with the US saying it cast "serious doubt" on Russia's commitment to the deal.

Türkiye, which helped broker the accord, said after the cruise missile hits that it had received assurances from Moscow that Russian forces were not responsible.

But Russia then admitted that it had struck a Ukrainian military vessel and arms delivered by Washington.

Ukraine has denounced the strikes as "barbarism."

READ MORE: Russia: Missile strikes on Odessa destroyed Western arms