"Putin Escalates Economic Warfare on Ukraine with Repeated Odessa Bombings"

Russian President Vladimir Putin's decision to terminate a United Nations-brokered deal allowing grain exports from the Black Sea has led to a series of attacks on Ukraine's agriculture sector, including airstrikes on grain storage facilities near Odessa. The attacks have caused significant damage to the industry, destroying tens of thousands of tons of grain and crippling Ukraine's economy. The United States and international aid agencies dispute Russia's claim that Western sanctions are to blame for the collapse of the deal, seeing it as part of Putin's intentional strategy to decimate Ukraine's economy. The use of the Danube River as an alternative trade route has shown promise, but it still falls short of satisfying Ukraine's export potential. African leaders have urged Putin to halt the blockade and return to the grain deal, warning of a worsening food crisis in some African nations. The United States has provided crucial support to Ukrainian farmers, but many are pessimistic about the survival of their businesses.