Russia's Rostov Oblast declares state of emergency over Black Sea grain export problems

Yury Slyusar, governor of Russia's Rostov Oblast, has declared a regional state of emergency due to problems with grain exports.

Source: Russian news website The Insider, citing Russian business media outlet Expert South; The Moscow Times

Details: The decision was prompted by a critical accumulation of grain at grain silos across the region that cannot be exported via the Black Sea.

According to the governor's order, the state of emergency came into effect at 18:00 on 28 August 2026.

"To recognise the situation that has developed since 10 July 2026 in Rostov Oblast, caused by the suspension of port operations and disruption of maritime shipping in the Azov-Black Sea basin, as a regional emergency," the order says.

The governor instructed the regional Agriculture Ministry to monitor and forecast the development of the situation, as well as inform agricultural producers about the scale of the emergency and the measures being taken by the authorities.

The economic situation for Russian farmers "looks very bad" and "shipments in the Azov basin have completely stopped", said Arkady Zlochevsky, president of the Russian Grain Union.

Following the Azov ports, the largest grain terminals on the Black Sea also halted operations in August after being hit by drones. As a result, more than 80% of Russia's grain export capacity has been paralysed.

In August, according to estimates by SovEcon, a Russian agricultural market research and forecasting centre, wheat exports fell to their lowest level in 16 years, at 1.9 million tonnes.

Russia's Agriculture Ministry is reportedly preparing to begin state grain purchases and is also considering alternative export routes, including ports on the Arctic Ocean.

Background:

• On 27 August, it emerged that MSC Mediterranean Shipping Co., the world's largest container shipping company, suspended new bookings for shipments through Russia's Novorossiysk port.
• Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braže said Russian attacks on Ukrainian grain infrastructure were driven by a desire to starve the world.

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