Russia Is Being Accused Of Targeting Ukraine's Food Supply

The Russian invasion of Ukraine rages on with horrifying attacks on innocent civilians, maternity wards, hospitals, and children, shocking and saddening the global community, reports CNN. According to The Observers, Russian forces are now targeting Ukrainian food supplies and essential infrastructure, an action that will plunge the nation into a food crisis, cause grocery prices to rise, and affect the global food chain at large.

Dire food and water shortages are reported across Ukraine, concentrated in larger cities and areas with critical food supply infrastructure. Russian forces have shelled food stores, shopping centers, and grocery stores in an attempt to destroy Ukrainians' access to essentials. The Interior Ministry of Ukraine reported 40,000 people were in need of food and water less than a week into Russia's invasion, but despite the dangers of war, Ukrainian grocers are still working tirelessly to provide food and supplies to their embattled citizens (via The Observers). 

According to Global News, in an emergency G7 meeting, Ukraine's agriculture minister expressed concerns over the impact of attacks on food stores, harvesting machinery, and farmers fighting Russian insurgents instead of harvesting crops, saying that it has a "direct impact on their capacity to produce food for their own population — to feed their population." 

Numerous organizations, including the World Food Program and José Andrés' World Central Kitchen, have been donating food and supplies to Ukraine and helping in any way they can. José Andrés shared a video from NBC News' Richard Engel showing one of the largest storage warehouses in Ukraine, which held 50,000 tons of food before it was bombed twice by Russian forces. Andrés tweeted, "This is why [it] is so important to diversify food storage."

Global News warns that Russian forces are also targeting critical food production and storage infrastructure. Ports, farms, and food storage facilities like silos and grain elevators have come under attack as Russian forces create a food shortage emergency. According to Global Citizen, the war in Ukraine will also impact the global food supply chain, as Russia and Ukraine export 25% of the world's wheat along with substantial amounts of barley, corn, and cooking oils. The cost of food is already high, and as countries like China stock up on foods produced in other countries, demand will likely drive global prices up further. 

Presently, as diminished agricultural infrastructure causes supply issues leading to inflation and the shelling of food stores prohibits Ukrainians from feeding their own, the global community can offer support through charitable organizations.