Russian Tycoon Calls Sanctions ‘Weapons of Mass Destruction’ (1)

Russian fertilizer tycoon Andrey Melnichenko said that sanctions affecting companies like his are “economic weapons of mass destruction,” hurting people most at risk from hunger.

His comments to Swiss newspaper Die Weltwoche come as Russian and Ukrainian fertilizer, grains and other farm exports have been disrupted by Moscow’s invasion, helping food costs to spiral. US and European Union sanctions on potash sales from Russian-allied Belarus and China’s move to rein in shipments added to the crunch.

The US has built exemptions into limits on doing business with Russia to allow trade in fertilizers. But many shippers, banks and insurers have ...