Russian attacks on Ukrainian grain warehouses along the Danube show that Vladimir Putin “doesn’t care” about the supply of basic foodstuffs to developing countries, the US embassy said today.

“It is unacceptable. Putin does not care about global food security,” foreign ministry spokesman Vedant Patel told reporters.

After several attacks in early August, the Russian military again targeted port infrastructure on the Danube last night, Tuesday-Wednesday, with drones.

“Consequence of enemy strikes in one of the Danube ports: grain warehouses were hit,” Oleg Kiper, the governor of the Odesa region, wrote on social media.

Ukraine also announced today the departure of its first commercial cargo ship from the port of Odesa, defying Russia which has threatened to sink such vessels since it pulled out of a deal that allowed Ukrainian grain exports.

Washington is calling on Moscow to “immediately” return to the deal.

“The contrast is very clear. Our Ukrainian partners are inspiring the world while Russia is starving the world using food as a weapon,” said Vedant Patel.