Tolyatti-Odesa Ammonia Pipeline Unlikely To Launch Soon After Ukrainian Attack - Moscow

The relaunch of the Tolyatti-Odesa ammonia pipeline and the subsequent export of ammonia to Ukrainian ports should not be expected anytime soon due to the damage inflicted upon the facility by Ukraine's attack in contempt of all UN-led efforts, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin said on Saturday.

On Wednesday, the Russian Defense Ministry said that a Ukrainian sabotage group had blown up the Tolyatti-Odesa ammonia pipeline in the Kharkiv Region, adding that there are casualties among the civilian population. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday that the explosion will complicate the extension of the grain deal.

"As you know, UN Secretary-General (Antonio Guterres) has recently come up with various ideas and initiatives regarding ammonia. Now, essentially, a blow has been dealt to all these ideas and initiatives. The realistic prospect of the ammonia pipeline's restoration and launch has been pushed back for a very long time," Vershinin said following talks at the UN headquarters in Geneva.

The diplomat called the attack yet another example of Kiev's "unreasonable, irrational and criminal" policies. UN representatives could not explain what prompted Kiev to carry out the attack, he added.

"This terrorist act essentially has put an end to the predictability of the resumption of ammonia exports from Tolyatti to Ukrainian ports," Vershinin said.

Additionally, the official said that exports of ammonia were crucially important for Africa, Asia and South America, adding that the international community should not ignore the incident.