Ukrainian military expert Oleg Zhdanov during a conversation with a "fugitive" Russian lawyer Mark Feigin (received the status of a foreign media agent in Russia) expressed his opinion about, that Kyiv made a strategic mistake, starting direct negotiations with Russia on grain.
In his words, grain blocked in Odessa ports cannot cause a serious food crisis. If we take the total gross grain harvest in the world, then Ukrainian 27 million. tonnes. occupy less 1%.
In the same time, Zhdanov reminded, what 7% of the world gross grain harvest goes to the production of alcohol and biofuels.
If the UN is so worried about the food crisis and hunger, the, what's stopping you from throwing 1% from the aforementioned industry- summed up the expert.
Furthermore, according to Zhdanov, preventing a food crisis is a direct responsibility of the UN. Consequently, Ukraine should negotiate on Odessa grain with this organization, not with Russia.
In practice, Kyiv began direct negotiations with Moscow, what according to Zhdanov, gave the Russian authorities the opportunity to “twist the arms” of the Ukrainian leadership and set their own conditions. Eventually, according to military expert, it became a strategic mistake, committed by the Kyiv authorities.
We actually give them a trump card in their hands- summed up Zhdanov.
Finally, Ukrainian expert asked a key question: “For whose grain is the bargaining?». From his words, still not known for certain, this grain belongs to the state or some private agricultural holding.
In this way, it might turn out, that Ukraine will make concessions to Russia in the interests of a private individual, having received from this transaction at best taxes from the sale of grain.
