Israeli Analyst: Odessa Attack Shows Putin Doesn't Respect Agreements

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signaled that no agreement will make him give up control of the Black Sea and, with it, the ability to pressure global food supply, Anshel Pfeffer wrote for the Israeli newspaper Haaretz on July 24, 2022, by attacking Odessa's seaport barely 24 hours after signing a deal with the United Nations (UN) and Turkey that Russia would permit the export of grains from Ukraine.

Photo Insert: The missile attack, which Russia claimed targeted vessels carrying Ukraine's anti-ship missiles, was condemned by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, the United States (U.S.), and the European Union (EU).

The missile attack, which Russia claimed targeted vessels carrying Ukraine's anti-ship missiles, was condemned by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, the United States (U.S.), and the European Union (EU).

Turkey, which guarantees the separate agreement signed by Russia and Ukraine, only said Moscow denied staging the attack, only for Russia to admit it later.

Nonetheless, the attack, which Ukraine described as cruel because it did not target any military targets but instead devastated port infrastructure, reinforced Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's fear that Putin would not honor any agreement with any nation or international agency.

Pfeffer proposed that the West organize a naval task force to safeguard the Black Sea commerce routes in order to prevent a repeat of the Russian onslaught.

“NATO’s navies, which include Turkey, could easily muster a force far superior to the one Russia has there. But they are still determined to avoid any possibility of a direct military clash with Russia,” he added.

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