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Russian attacks on Ukraineʼs agricultural infrastructure are an economic war, the goal of which the Russians see as the destruction of Ukraineʼs agricultural and export potential through occupation, theft and appropriation of Ukrainian grain, blockade of ports, and strikes on related infrastructure.
These conclusions were reached in a report by the international legal organization Global Rights Compliance. The report was created by the Starvation Mobile Justice Team.
(SMJT). It was created at the request of the Prosecutor Generalʼs Office of Ukraine.
Before the full-scale Russian invasion, Ukraine exported almost 12% of the worldʼs wheat and played an important role in supplying food and fertilizers. But the war has destroyed agricultural stability, reduced exports, and worsened global food security.
In July 2022, the UN, Turkey, Ukraine, and Russia launched the Black Sea Grain Initiative (BSGI) to safely export grain from Ukraine. However, the Russian Federation obstructed its implementation, and in July 2023, it withdrew from the agreement altogether and began a massive attack on Ukrainian grain infrastructure, especially the ports in Odesa, Reni, and Izmail. Grain elevators, farms, border crossings, and foreign merchant ships were affected.
After Russia withdrew from the Grain Initiative, the number of attacks increased sharply. Russian troops used precision weapons even where there were no military facilities.
A six-month investigation has uncovered evidence that the Russian strikes were deliberate. Russian officials have been explicit about their intention to undermine Ukraine’s agricultural economy. Putin, for example, has promised to replace Ukrainian grain exports with Russian ones, underscoring a broader campaign of economic warfare.
According to the SMJT investigation, Russia used precision weapons for its strikes. For example, during the attack on Chornomorsk, the invaders used several types of weapons and ammunition and probably involved units of the Strategic Command. Such a coordinated attack would require permission from the Strategic Command of the Russian Armed Forces. In addition, the use of long-range aircraft in combat operations requires a corresponding decision by Putin.
In total, the attacks described in the report damaged or destroyed more than 101,000 m² of grain storage. Experts believe that these strikes bear the hallmarks of war crimes and are aimed not only at Ukraineʼs economy, but also at its identity, environment, and global food security.
The evidence collected indicates that the Russian military violated international humanitarian law and committed war crimes with their attacks:
- Intentionally directing attacks against civilian objects (Article 8(2)(b)(ii) of the Rome Statute)
information referenceArticle 8(2)(b)(ii) of the Rome Statute criminalizes the war crime of “intentionally directing attacks against civilian objects, that is, objects that are not military objectives.” This article enshrines the principle of distinction in international humanitarian law and states that an attack on civilian objects can never be justified by military necessity.;
- Destruction or seizure of enemy property not justified by military necessity (Article 8(2)(b)(xiii) of the Rome Statute)
information referenceArticle 8(2)(b)(xiii) of the Charter prohibits the war crime of “destruction or seizure of enemy property, unless such destruction or seizure is imperatively required by military necessity.” This crime requires the cumulative presence of several elements. First, the perpetrator must destroy, in part or in whole, property, whether public or private, including by burning or demolition.
The report concludes that international and national investigative bodies, including the International Criminal Court, should consider these Russian attacks as possible war crimes and hold those responsible accountable.
