Russia halts participation in Black Sea grain deal: Kremlin

“The Black Sea agreements ceased to be valid today,” Peskov told reporters on Monday afternoon.

“Unfortunately, the part of these Black Sea agreements concerning Russia has not been implemented so far, so its effect is terminated,” he said, adding that Moscow would “immediately” return to the deal “as soon as the Russian part of the agreements is fulfilled”.

Russia has notified Turkey, Ukraine and the UN that Moscow is against extending the deal, said Maria Zakharova, a spokeswoman for the Russian foreign ministry.

The halting of the grain deal came just hours after Russia said Ukraine had attacked a bridge linking it to the annexed Crimea Peninsula.