Crimea harvests record grain crop - regional ministry

Ukraine has accused Russia of stealing grain from territories that Russia has seized since Moscow sent its army into the country on Feb. 24 and exporting it partly from Crimea. Moscow denies this. Ukraine, a major grain exporter, was unable to ship its commodity via the Black Sea due to a Russian blockade of its ports since Feb. 24.

Crimea, which was annexed by Russia from Ukraine in 2014, has harvested more than 2 million tonnes of grains before drying and cleaning - its largest crop since the collapse of the Soviet Union, its regional agriculture ministry said on Monday.

It is Crimea's largest crop since Soviet times, when it harvested 2.2 million tonnes of grain in 1989, the ministry said, adding that farmers have already taken grain from 95% of the harvesting area. Ukraine has accused Russia of stealing grain from territories that Russia has seized since Moscow sent its army into the country on Feb. 24 and exporting it partly from Crimea. Moscow denies this.

Ukraine, a major grain exporter, was unable to ship its commodity via the Black Sea due to a Russian blockade of its ports since Feb. 24. The two countries signed agreements in Istanbul in July aimed at resuming shipments to help stave off a global food crisis. The first vessel carrying grain left the Ukrainian port of Odesa on Monday.