Ukraine war live: Russia playing ‘hunger games’ with world, says UN official

Russia is playing ‘hunger games’ with the world, claims Ukrainian ambassador

A Ukrainian ambassador has accused Russia of playing “hunger games” with the world by claiming that the sanctions against Moscow are the reason grain cannot be exported from the Black Sea. 

Yevheniia Filipenko, Ukraine’s envoy to the United Nations (UN) office in Geneva instead placed blame on the Russian invasion of her country. 

She made the remarks during an interview on the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of war. 

With exports of grain drying up through Ukraine’s embattled or captured ports, Filipenko said Russia has sought to pin the blame for the blockage on Ukraine and Western sanctions that have been levied by the thousands against Moscow.

“Russia has played hunger games recently to put the blame on Ukraine and others for blocking Ukrainian food exports,” she said.

Filipenko said Ukrainian forces were intensely motivated to protect their homeland and would one day win the war. She echoed calls from other top Ukrainian officials for more weapons.

“We are fighting for freedom of Europe and the whole world. So the next 100 days will be very busy for all of us,” she said.

Ukraine is the world’s fifth-largest producer of wheat.

(AP)