Ukraine's State Veterinary and Phytosanitary Service has slapped a ban on the import and transit through the country of grain and feed from Siberian, Northern-Caucasus, and Southern Federal Districts in Russia, the press service to the Ukrainian Infrastructure Ministry said.

The statement cites Agrarian Policy and Food Minister Mykola Prysiazhniuk that this was done because of foot-and-mouth disease grain will not be transiting Ukraine from Krasnodar Territory.

The vice president of the Russian Grain Union, Alexander Korbut, told Interfax that the restrictions would not have any substantial impact on Russian grain exports. "A relatively small amount of grain passes through Ukrainian ports. Our transshipment capacities, able to handle up to twenty-seven million tonnes of grain per year, are enough to meet the needs of exporters," Korbut said late last month.

Foot-and-mouth disease, which affects farm animals, is periodically epidemic in a number of countries. Humans can contract it by drinking raw milk from infected animals and products made from it, but the disease cannot be passed between people.