Zelenskiy announces aid package for farmers affected by Russian port strikes

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy announced that the Ukrainian government will provide targeted support to farmers impacted by Russian assaults on maritime infrastructure. The package, discussed in a recent cabinet meeting, will feature subsidised credit lines and additional financing tools, with implementation expected in the coming days. Governor Oleh Kiper reported that a Russian strike damaged a Guinea-Bissau-flagged wheat carrier in the Black Sea, resulting in one fatality and a fire.

Ukraine's seaports authority confirmed the incident and highlighted ongoing threats to the Black Sea corridor that leads to Romania. Agriculture Minister Taras Vysotskyi said alternative export routes could reach full capacity only by the end of August and would cover roughly half of the volume previously handled by Black Sea ports. Russia’s main grain lobby warned that continued drone attacks could further curtail Black Sea grain shipments, potentially raising food prices in Africa and the Middle East.