TOP HEADLINES

• Inspections of ships are resuming under a U.N.-brokered agreement on the safe export of grain from Ukrainian Black Sea ports, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov said.

• However, Russia has accused Ukraine of sabotaging the Black Sea grain deal by demanding bribes from ship owners to register new vessels and carry out inspections under the cover of a deal the United Nations hopes could ease a global food crisis.

• Russian drones struck Ukraine's southern Odesa region overnight and caused a fire at an infrastructure facility, the head of the military command of the Odesa region, Yuri Kruk, said.

• Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva condemned the violation of Ukraine's territorial integrity by Russia and again called for mediation to end the conflict, a peace initiative criticized by the Ukrainian government.

• South Korea might extend its support for Ukraine beyond humanitarian and economic aid if it comes under a large-scale civilian attack, President Yoon Suk Yeol said, signalling a shift in his stance against arming Ukraine for the first time.

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IN DEPTH

Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov said inspections of ships are resuming as part of a United Nations agreement to maintain the safe export of grain via the country's Black Sea ports. 

He wrote on Facebook that "ship inspections are being resumed, despite the RF's (Russian Federation's) attempts to disrupt the agreement."

The Russian news agency RIA said inspections had already resumed after two days of talks, citing the U.N. coordinator's press office.

Kubrakov is in Türkiye to discuss the status of the Black Sea Grain Initiative, which was agreed by Russia and Ukraine last July to help alleviate a global food crisis.

Moscow says it agreed to extend the deal only until May 18. Kyiv and the United Nations say the deal has another 60 days to run after then, and is seeking an agreement to ensure it continues.

Kyiv says Russian inspectors stopped letting through vessels supposed to ship grain from Ukraine.

Agriculture Minister Mykola Solsky said Moscow was increasing difficulties for Ukraine at a time when three eastern European countries have banned imports of Ukrainian grain and food products.

"Obviously, the Russians could not fail to take advantage of these nuances on the western (Ukrainian) border," Solsky said.

RIA quoted the Russian foreign ministry by saying Ukraine and the United Nations were causing difficulties with the ship inspections.

Ukraine and Poland reached an agreement on Tuesday to unblock transit of Ukrainian grain from Friday, but the import bans remain in place in Poland, Slovakia and Hungary.

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