Harsh words from Kiev

Destruction of grain: “Neutralize” the perpetrators

(Bild: Screenshot/Twitter.com)

Following the destruction of around 160 tons of Ukrainian grain at a Polish railroad station, the government in Kiev is calling for those responsible to be punished. And with drastic words.

"Those who damaged Ukrainian grain must be found, neutralized and punished," wrote Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Olexandr Kubrakov on the online short message service X on Monday.

The masses of grain had been destroyed as part of weeks of protests by Polish farmers against falling incomes and cheap imports from countries such as Ukraine. It was not the first incident of this kind. Ukrainian agricultural products have already been deliberately tipped out of freight wagons on several occasions.

Farmers fear for their income
Agricultural goods are one of Ukraine's most important sources of income. Due to the Russian war of aggression, the country is increasingly trying to export its produce overland instead of via the embattled Black Sea. However, farmers in Poland and many other European countries are seeing their income collapse as a result.

For this reason, but also because of other issues such as EU environmental regulations, farmers have been protesting time and again for months. Border crossings and roads are often blocked with tractors. Since Sunday, Polish farmers have been blocking the highway to Germany near Frankfurt (Oder), for example. In view of the protests, a meeting of European Union agriculture ministers has been scheduled for this Monday in Brussels.