Sir Keir Starmer has warned the Russian threat to global stability is accelerating after a series of ‘indiscriminate’ port strikes in the Black Sea.
The Prime Minister accused Vladimir Putin of gambling on global food security and harming millions of vulnerable people across the world.
British intelligence has shown a noticeable increase in Russia’s risk appetite when conducting strikes on port infrastructure — with grain ships becoming collateral damage.
Putin’s attacks have delayed vital aid from reaching Palestinians, and have stopped crucial grain supplies from being delivered to the global south.
The acceleration in attacks coincides with harvest season in Ukraine.
Sir Keir said last night: ‘Russia’s indiscriminate strikes on ports in the Black Sea underscore that Putin is willing to gamble on global food security in his attempts to force Ukraine into submission.
‘In doing so, he is harming millions of vulnerable people across Africa, Asia and the Middle East, to try and gain the upper hand in his barbaric war.
‘In recent weeks, we have seen reporting that the Kremlin has been forced to turn to North Korea to provide troops to fuel its self-destructing war machine, an embarrassing and desperate act, and now they are intensifying attacks on areas of Ukraine that support the global south with much-needed food.
‘Russia has no respect for the norms and laws that govern our international system.
‘Not only was their illegal invasion a blatant attack on the principles of the UN Charter, but the way they have executed their war in Ukraine shows no respect for human life, or the consequences of their invasion across the world.’
Sir Keir’s comments come after the UK announced a £2.26billion loan to help Ukraine fight Putin’s forces, funded by profits on frozen Russian assets.
The cash is the UK’s contribution to a £38.39 billion loan package agreed by the G7 group of nations financed through the interest on sanctioned Russian sovereign assets.
It could be used to fund air defence, artillery or other military equipment and comes on top of the UK’s existing £3billion-a-year support for Ukraine.