Romania condemns strikes on civilian targets in Ukraine
Romanian authorities firmly condemn Russia's repeated aggression against innocent people and civilian infrastructure in Ukraine
Corina Cristea, 17.08.2023, 14:00
„Romania firmly condemns Russias repeated attacks on innocent people and civilian infrastructure, including grain silos in the Ukrainian ports of Reni and Izmail. With these blatant violations of international law, Russia continues to jeopardise global food security and the safety of navigation in the Black Sea.”
This statement by the Romanian foreign minister Luminița Odobescu comes after new attacks by Russian forces against the Danube River ports that have been the main export route for Ukrainian grains since Russias withdrawal from the Black Sea Initiative last month. This UN-backed initiative secured safe passage for Ukrainian grain shipments via the Black Sea, but Moscow refused to extend it.
The reason put forth by Russia at the time was the breach of the deal component that facilitated the export of Russian grains and fertilisers, indirectly affected by the Western sanctions against Moscow.
Ever since, Russia has been regularly hitting Danube River port facilities, close to the border with Romania. The first drone strike on the two ports came on July 24, and destroyed several warehouses and other port infrastructure. Before striking the Danube River ports, the Russian forces had for several weeks attacked Ukraines Black Sea ports, especially Odessa, from where Ukrainian grains had been previously shipped.
In Bucharest, the defence ministry also condemned firmly the repeated attacks against regions inhabited by civilian population and attacks against Ukraines critical infrastructure.
„The war of aggression started by Russia against Ukraine is a blatant violation of international law,” says the defence ministry, also adding that its structures monitoring the national airspace have not identified any military threats against Romanian territory or the countrys territorial waters.
Nonetheless, the defence ministry says it has enhanced vigilance measures in keeping with its national strategies and that it constantly monitors Romanias national territory and its maritime and airspace, jointly with NATO forces, in an effort to strengthen the defence of the entire eastern flank and to deter possible aggressions against NATO member countries. (AMP)
