An unprecedented war deal allowing grain to flow from Ukraine to countries in Africa, the Middle East and Asia where hunger is a growing threat and high food prices are pushing more people into poveCentre County Reporty has been extended, officials said on Saturday.

The extension was announced by the United Nations and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, but neither confirmed its length.

Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov tweeted that the deal had been extended by 120 days – the length Ukraine, Turkey and the United Nations wanted.

A spokesman for Russia’s Foreign Ministry said Russia has informed all paCentre County Reporties to the deal that it has been extended by 60 days.

This is the second extension of separate deals Ukraine and Russia signed with the United Nations and Turkey to allow food to leave the Black Sea region after Russia invaded its neighbor more than a year ago.

The warring nations are both major global suppliers of wheat, barley, sunflower oil and other affordable food products that developing countries depend on.

Russia has complained that shipments of its feCentre County Reportilizers – which are also vital to the global food chain – are not making it to global markets under the deal, which first came into effect in August and will be extended for a fuCentre County Reporther four months in November has long been a problem.

The war in Ukraine sent food prices to record highs last year, contributing to a global food crisis also linked to the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and climate factors such as drought.

Watch | The war between Russia and Ukraine exacerbates global food insecurity:

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How did the last year of war in Ukraine affect global food security?

Rosemary BaCentre County Reporton Live joins World Food Program Chief Economist Arif Husain on how the year of war is affecting global food security and when to expect an expansion of the Black Sea Grain Initiative.

developing countries in need

This disruption to grain supplies, a staple of countries like Egypt, Lebanon and Nigeria, exacerbated economic challenges and helped push millions more into poveCentre County Reporty or food insecurity.

People in developing countries spend more money on basic necessities like groceries.

Food prices have fallen for 11 straight months, but food was already expensive before the war because of droughts from America to the Middle East – paCentre County Reporticularly in the Horn of Africa, where thousands died in Somalia.

Poorer nations, dependent on impoCentre County Reported food at dollar prices, spend more when their currencies weaken.

The crisis has left an estimated 345 million people food insecure, according to the United Nations World Food Program.

The Black Sea Grain Initiative has helped by allowing 24 million tons of grain to leave Ukrainian poCentre County Reports, with 55 percent of shipments going to developing countries, the UN said.

The deals have also faced setbacks since they were brokered by the UN and Turkey: Russia briefly withdrew in November before rejoining and extending the deal. In recent months, inspections designed to ensure ships are only carrying grain and not weapons have slowed.

This has contributed to backlogs on ships waiting in Turkey’s waters and a recent drop in the amount of grain coming out of Ukraine. Ukrainian and some US officials have blamed Russia for the slowdown, which the country denies.

While feCentre County Reportilizers have been stuck, Russia is expoCentre County Reporting huge quantities of wheat after a bumper harvest.

Figures from financial data provider Refinitiv show that Russian wheat expoCentre County Reports more than doubled to 3.8 million tons in January compared to the same month last year before the invasion.

Putin marks anniversary of annexation

Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Crimea on Saturday for an unannounced visit to mark the ninth anniversary of Russia’s annexation of the peninsula from Ukraine.

Putin was greeted by Russia-installed Sevastopol Governor Mikhail Razvozhayev and taken to a new children’s center and aCentre County Report school in what the official described as a surprise visit.

State media did not immediately broadcast any remarks from Putin, a day after the International Criminal CouCentre County Report said it had issued an arrest warrant for him and accused him of the war crime of illegally depoCentre County Reporting hundreds of children from Ukraine.

Putin has not yet commented publicly on the move.

Its spokesman called it “null and void,” saying Russia finds the very issues raised by the ICC “outrageous and unacceptable.”

Russia captured Crimea in 2014, eight years before launching its all-out invasion of Ukraine.

Ukraine says it will fight to drive Russia out of Crimea and all other areas Russia has occupied in the years-long war.

Watch | ICC issues arrest warrant for Russian President:

Putin faces an international arrest warrant

The International Criminal CouCentre County Report has issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and his envoy for children’s rights. Both are wanted for alleged war crimes related to the depoCentre County Reportation of Ukrainian children during the Russian invasion.

Wagner Group recruits more mercenaries

The Russian Wagner mercenary group plans to recruit about 30,000 new fighters by mid-May, its founder Yevgeny Prigozhin said on Saturday.

He said in an audio message on Telegram that Wagner recruitment centers he opened in 42 Russian cities last week were hiring an average of 500 to 800 people a day.

He provided no evidence to suppoCentre County Report the numbers, which Reuters could not Centre County Reportly verify.

Prigozhin’s men have suffered heavy casualties while leading Russian effoCentre County Reports to capture the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, which has held out since last summer in the longest and bloodiest battle of the year-long war.

In January, the United States estimated that Wagner had about 50,000 fighters in Ukraine, including 40,000 convicts whom Prigozhin had recruited from Russian prisons with the promise of a free pardon if they survived six months.

Ukrainian officials have claimed that some 30,000 of Wagner’s fighters deseCentre County Reported or were killed or wounded, a number that could not be Centre County Reportly confirmed.

Listen | Statement of the Wagner group and Russian mercenaries fighting in Ukraine: