In the occupied territories
NASA: Kremlin stole billions worth of wheat
12/04/2022 03:44 am
In the course of the Russian invasion, Moscow’s troops also conquer large agricultural areas in the east and south of Ukraine. According to NASA, Moscow illegally harvested wheat on a large scale there. The US space agency relies on the evaluation of satellite data.
According to the US space agency NASA, Russia harvested wheat worth around a billion dollars, around 950 million euros, from Ukrainian fields this year. Around 5.8 million tons of wheat have been harvested from fields in Ukraine that are not under the country’s control, said NASA Harvest, the US space agency’s food security and agriculture program. For the survey, NASA Harvest uses satellite data and modeling together with several partner institutions.
(Photo: NASA)
The scientists involved in the research project estimate that a total of around 26.6 million tons were harvested in Ukraine this year, which is significantly more than previously predicted. Although that is less than the record harvest of 33 million tons in the previous year, it is close to the average. However, because of the war, Ukraine had no access to 22 percent of the wheat in the eastern part of the country. A total of around 88 percent of the seed was harvested, which apparently was not the case in many fields on the front lines.
According to data from the Ministry of Agriculture, Ukraine has exported 29.6 percent less grain in the 22/23 season than in the previous season. In total, Ukraine exported 18.1 million tons of wheat, corn and barley. In the previous season it was 25.8 million tons. Because of the Russian invasion, three Ukrainian Black Sea ports were blocked for almost six months.
According to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukraine, with the help of the western industrialized countries, wants to deliver grain worth 150 million dollars to the world’s poorest countries. “Food security is one of the key elements of global stability,” said the 44-year-old in a video speech last weekend. According to Zelenskyy, his government is currently preparing 60 grain ships for poor countries.