Russia rallies support in Africa as doubt cast on Ukraine grain deal

Russian foreign minister starts trip in Egypt, one day after Russian strike on Odesa put question mark over deal to restart exports

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Russia's foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, has reassured Egypt over Russian grain supplies at the start of a four-country tour of Africa, amid uncertainty over the future of a deal to resume Ukrainian exports via the Black Sea.

Egypt, one of the world's top wheat importers, bought 80% of its wheat from Russia and Ukraine last year, and has been torn between ties to Moscow and its close relationship to the west.