Ukrainian strikes on Russian grain infrastructure push global food prices to three-year high

A massive Ukrainian drone strike on the Russian Black Sea port of Novorossiysk on August 12, 2026, killed three people, including a child, and disabled two major grain terminals. The attack has intensified fears of global supply disruptions, pushing grain futures higher. This escalation comes as the UN Food and Agriculture Organization reports global food prices hitting a three-and-a-half-year high, driven by Black Sea conflict disruptions, severe European heatwaves that destroyed 9 million tonnes of crops, and El Niño weather patterns.

Novorossiysk drone attack casualties

• ▪The August 12, 2026, Ukrainian drone attack on Novorossiysk wounded 24 people and damaged dozens of residential buildings, according to Krasnodar Governor Veniamin Kondratyev.
• ▪A Ukrainian drone attack on the Russian Black Sea port city of Novorossiysk on August 12, 2026, killed three people, including a child.

Russian grain terminal disruptions

• ▪The Ukrainian drone strike on Novorossiysk on August 12, 2026, forced two major grain terminals in the port city to stop working.
• ▪Russia's main grain lobby group warned in July 2026 that Ukrainian attacks could shut down grain exports via the Black Sea, risking price increases and hunger in Africa and the Middle East.

Global food price surge

• ▪The UN Food and Agriculture Organization food commodity price index rose to 131.1 points in July 2026, hitting its highest level since January 2023.
• ▪Global cereal prices rose by 3.4% month-on-month in July 2026, driven by a 5.8% increase in global wheat costs amid Black Sea export disruptions and infrastructure damage.

Heatwave impact on crop yields

• ▪The UN World Food Programme warned that the El Niño weather phenomenon is likely to push 50 million people into acute hunger before the end of 2027.
• ▪A June 2026 heatwave across Europe forced grain farmers to destroy an estimated 9 million tonnes of crops, including wheat, barley, maize, and oats.

Russian food security statements

• ▪Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stated that Ukrainian strikes on Russian agricultural infrastructure exacerbate grain shortages and serve the interests of certain Western nations.
• ▪Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova accused Ukraine of conducting a military campaign to incite chaos in the global food market, increasing the burden on the Global South and East.

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