Putin’s Pre-Invasion Starvation Strategy for Ukraine

Three grain carrier ships, job adverts and a billion dollars

Shankar Narayan
8 min readNov 17, 2023

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A cargo train (Licensed Image)

In the nearly two years since I began reporting on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the unfolding events have consistently been complex and multifaceted. Just when it seems that the Kremlin’s strategists have reached the depths of their depravity, they invariably find new ways to astonish and challenge my understanding.

A breakthrough study by Global Rights Compliance (GRC), a human rights law firm based in London, has provided critical insights into Kremlin’s effort to weaponize food and starve Ukraine.

The initial missile attacks on Ukrainian grain warehouses seemed to be mere power projections, especially following Russia’s withdrawal from the Black Sea Grain Initiative in July this year.

Four days after Russia withdrew from the Black Sea Grain Initiative, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken tore into Kremlin’s strategy in an interview with MSNBC. He noted that following Russia’s withdrawal from the agreement with the United Nations and Turkey, which was intended to ensure the safe transport of Ukrainian grains, Russia commenced daily attacks on grain warehouses.

Secretary Blinken offered additional insights that, in my opinion, provide greater clarity…

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Shankar Narayan

He didn't care what he had or what he had left, he cared only about what he must do.