The Putin Price Hike (food edition)

Ukraine is one of the world's largest grain exporters - but its products are being trapped and stolen.

I don’t think the Biden Administration is completely blameless when it comes to inflation, but any good-faith observer¹ has to concede that a massive land war in Europe, involving a country that is one of the world’s largest energy suppliers, also might just have something to do with it.

And if this Unherd story is any indication, it’s probably going to make our food much more expensive before long:

Since the Russians invaded on 24 February, they have destroyed civilian districts, smashed public infrastructure, and tortured and executed prisoners. They have also stolen farm equipment, shelled food storage sites and stolen thousands of tonnes of grain. It’s systemic and it’s planned and most obvious in the country’s south, where I spent considerable time over the past two months. In both the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia Oblasts farmers have reported multiple thefts. In the Kherson village of Mala Lepetykha, Russian soldiers reportedly stole 1,500 tons of grain from storage units which they th…