FILE PHOTO: Wheat grains are seen inside a storage damaged by a Russian missile strike, as Russia’s attack on Ukraine continues, in Zaporizhzhia Region, Ukraine August 5, 2022. Photo: REUTERS/Dmytro Smolienko/File Photo

The Russian-controlled part of Ukraine’s southeastern region of Zaporizhzhia is exporting up to 7,000 tons of grain per day, Russian-installed authorities there said on Saturday.

Ukraine has accused Russia, the world’s largest wheat exporter, of stealing grain from territories that Russia’s army has seized since Moscow sent troops to Ukraine on Feb. 24. Moscow denies this.

The Russian-controlled part of Zaporizhzhia is transporting up to 5,000 tons of grain per day by railway and between 1,500 and 2,000 tons per day by vehicle, Yevgeny Balitsky, the head of the Russian-installed administration there said on social media. He did not say where the exports were heading.

He said supplies should rise when the Russia-controlled Ukrainian port of Berdyansk on the Azov Sea starts handling grain soon.

“The issue is about to be resolved, and we will also start loading dry cargoes to Turkey. Farmers will be able to sell their grain to Turkey, Saudi Arabia, the Middle East, Egypt – the standard markets,” Balitsky added.

Reuters could not verify this statement.

In July, Balitsky said the Russian-controlled part of Zaporizhzhia had reached deals to sell grain to Iraq, Iran and Saudi Arabia.

The territory has harvested 1.5 million tons of grain, Balitsky said on Saturday, adding it was yet to obtain fertilizers for the upcoming sowing season.