Kremlin: Odessa Port Strike Should Not Affect Grain Export

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - A Russian strike at the Ukrainian military targets in the Odessa port is not related to facilities used for grain exports and should not affect this process, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday.

"This is related exclusively to the military infrastructure. This is in no way related to the infrastructure that is used to fulfill the agreements and export grain. Therefore, this cannot and should not affect the start of the shipment process in any way," Peskov told reporters.

The spokesman also stressed that Russia has done much work to conclude the grain deal, but that it is too early to assess the effectiveness of the agreement's mechanisms.

On Sunday, the Russian Defense Ministry said that the naval forces have destroyed a docked Ukrainian warship and a warehouse of US-supplied Harpoon missiles with high-precision long-range missiles in the port of Odessa.

Previously, Kiev and Moscow signed a Turkey- and UN-brokered deal to de-clog exports of grain, foodstuff, and fertilizers from Black Sea ports. The deliveries ceased following the start of the special operation in Ukraine after Kiev's troops mined the ports, resulting in major concerns about a looming food crisis.

Gas Deliveries to Europe

Peskov also addressed the situation concerning the Nord Stream 1 pipeline turbine which is on its way to Russia.

"Of course, the turbine will be installed. We know that we still have problems with other units, which Siemens is also well aware of. But naturally, the turbine will be installed after all the formalities of the technological process are completed", he said.

Gas will be pumped to the extent that is technologically possible, he added.

The Nord Stream gas pipeline in the German town of Lubmin.

© Sputnik / Grigory Sysoev

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The official said that a statement made by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz about Russia not being a reliable gas supplier is untrue, as Moscow always fulfills its obligations.

"These statements, they have absolutely nothing to do with reality, with reality and with history, with the history of [gas] deliveries. Even in the most difficult moments, the Russian side continued to fulfill its obligations, the fact that now there has been a decrease in supply is again due to those illegal restrictions introduced by the Europeans themselves, in particular by Germany," Peskov told reporters, adding that there is no political aspect in situation with gas supplies via the Nord Stream pipeline.

Earlier this month, Canada said it couldn't return a turbine for the Nord Stream 1 pipeline to Germany due to Russia-related sanctions. However, after some consideration, Ottawa decided to ship it to Berlin, bypassing its own restrictions against Moscow.