'Glimmer of hope' as Ukraine grain ship leaves Odesa port

A view shows a building on fire, as Russia's attack on Ukraine continues, in Mykolaiv, in this handout picture released on July 31, 2022. State Emergency Service of Ukraine in Mykolaiv Region/Handout via REUTERS

KYIV (Reuters) - The first ship to carry Ukrainian grain through the Black Sea since Russia invaded Ukraine five months ago left the port of Odesa for Lebanon on Monday under a safe passage deal described as a glimmer of hope in a worsening global food crisis.

The sailing was made possible after Turkey and the United Nations brokered a grain and fertiliser export agreement between Russia and Ukraine last month - a rare diplomatic breakthrough in a conflict that has become a drawn-out war of attrition.