Africa Pays the Price for Russia's War on Ukraine's Ports

Africa is feeling the effects of Russia's war on Ukraine, as grain exports from Ukraine have been severely impacted by Russian attacks. Before the invasion in 2022, Ukraine was a global agricultural powerhouse, producing over 80 million tonnes of grain annually and exporting 75% of it.

In 2025, despite the war, grain production touched 60 million tonnes, and exports were 35 million tonnes. However, since the start of the full-scale invasion, Russian attacks have damaged 492 locomotives and 249 railway carriages, destroyed around 90% of modern storage facilities for goods in Ukraine, and reduced ship calls from 10-12 per day to 3-4 per week.

The annual African food import figure is some $100 billion, with 16 of 55 African countries net food importers. Africa relies on Ukraine for 5% of its food consumption, though this statistic is much higher in the Horn of Africa and especially in Egypt, which historically has taken up to 40% of Ukraine's total grain exports to the continent.

Africa's 'non-non-alignment' in Russia's war on Ukraine means that it is not taking a clear stance against or with either side. As Taras Vysotskyi, Ukraine's Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food, said, safeguarding Ukrainian ports is also safeguarding global food security.