A shipment of grain has left Ukraine — the first such cargo since an agreement between Kyiv and Moscow. It's hoped that more will follow.

Widespread welcome for corn ship's departure

There was widespread positivity about the first departure of grain from Odesa after the agreement brokered with the help of the United Nations and Turkey.

Ukraine's Minister of Infrastructure Oleksandr Kubrakov tweeted a video of the long cargo ship sounding its horn as its headed out to sea.

"The first grain ship since Russian aggression has left port,'' Kubrakov said on Twitter. He thanked partner countries and the UN for making it possible to implement the agreement signeed in Istanbul. "It's important for us to be one of the guarantors of food security," said the minister.

He added that the vessel, carrying corn to Lebanon, would pass through the Bosphorus on Tuesday, and that Ukraine would look to open up the port of Mykolaiv if the grain deal holds.

The Kremlin also welcomed the departure of the first shipment.

"As for the departure of the first ship, this is very positive. A good opportunity to test the effectiveness of the mechanisms that were agreed during talks in Istanbul," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. 

A UN spokesperson said Secretary-General Antonio Guterres "warmly welcomes" the development. 

"The Secretary-General hopes that this will be the first of many commercial ships moving in accordance with the initiative signed, and that this will bring much-needed stability and relief to global food security, especially in the most fragile humanitarian contexts," the UN said in a statement.

The German Foreign Office said the restart of grain exports represented a "glimpse of hope" for global food security.

UK ministry says Russia moves some troops from Donbas

The UK's Ministry of Defence says Russia is likely reallocating a significant number of its forces from the northern Donbas sector to southern Ukraine.

Moscow has probably identified its Zaporizhzhia front as a vulnerable area needing of reinforcement, the ministry said in its daily assessment.

It said Russia had continued to attempt tactical assaults on the Bakhmut axis, northeast of Donetsk, but that it is only managing to make slow progress.

The ministry said Russia was probably adjusting its Donbas offensive after failing to make a decisive operational breakthrough.

First shipment of grain departs Odesa

The first shipment of Ukrainian grain to be shipped since a deal was struck between Ukraine and Russia left the port of Odesa on Monday morning, bound for Lebanon.

The Sierra Leone-flagged cargo ship Razoni is the first ship to depart in line with an agreement reached with Russia on July 22. A statement from the United Nations said it was carrying more than 26,000 tons of corn. 

Other convoys are expected to follow, respecting the maritime corridor and other formalities in line with the deal.

Ukraine and Russia signed the agreement, brokered by the UN and Turkey, which is hoped will see grain exported from three Ukrainian Black Sea ports.

"The ship Razoni has left the port of Odessa bound for Tripoli in Lebanon. It is expected in Istanbul on August 2. It will then continue its journey after it has been inspected in Istanbul," Turkey's Defense Ministry said in a statement on Monday. 

Both Ukraine and Russia were key suppliers of staple foods around the world before Russia launched its invasion in February.

After Moscow launched its war, Ukrainian goods became inaccessible because of Russian control of the Black Sea.

More than 20 million tons of grain from last year's harvest is still awaiting export, according to Ukraine.

More on the war in Ukraine

The International Committee of the Red Cross said it had not yet obtained permission to visit the Olenivka prison where Ukrainian prisoners of war died in a strike on the facility.

Meanwhile, a Russian strike on the Mykolaiv region killed the founder of a large Ukrainian agribusiness. Read these and other updates from Sunday, here.

Platforms such as Instagram, Telegram and Youtube play a key role in documenting Russia's invasion and rallying international support for besieged Ukraine. But they are also used to obscure facts and spread fake news. Read more details here.

With the EU seeking to reduce its gas consumption by at least 15%, Germany's heavy reliance means it will probably have to save even more. DW looks at how that is supposed to work.

rc/msh (AFP, AP, dpa, Reuters)

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