Russia's blockade of Ukraine is a threat to global food security — and Bangladesh should take note

At a time when 7. 8 per cent of the world’s population faces hunger, one of the world’s most important grain routes is again under attack. Russia is choking off Ukraine’s ability to export food through the Black Sea, the Danube River and overland corridors. Its deliberate strikes on ports, warehouses, inland logistics, shipping and agricultural infrastructure are an assault on global food security, disrupting trade, energy and fertiliser markets. This is a hard economic and humanitarian fact: when grain cannot leave Ukraine, global markets tighten, prices rise and vulnerable countries pay the price. The timing could hardly be worse. As Ukraine entered the harvest season in August, attacks on transport routes and export facilities trapped grain, oilseeds and other agricultural products inside the country. Grain exports in August were cut by half compared with 2025.

International prices have already reacted. And the pressure may intensify in the months ahead. In October, Ukraine risks running out of storage capacity. By November, more than 9 million tonnes of grain, oilseeds and meal could remain outside available storage. A harvest capable of feeding millions could instead be left stranded. If farmers are unable to sell this season’s crop, they will have less cash for the next sowing season, reducing future production and compounding the crisis into next year. That matters in a world where an estimated 645 million people already face hunger. Disruptions to maritime routes, energy markets, trade flows and humanitarian logistics do reverberate far beyond the immediate conflict zone as the concurrent crisis in the Middle East demonstrates. The most exposed countries and communities are the least able to absorb another shock to food prices and supplies. Bangladesh is one of…