According to Reuters, Russia has halted its participation in the one-year UN-mediated agreement that allows Ukraine to export grain through the Black Sea, just hours after an explosion hit the bridge leading to Crimea.

Simultaneously, Russia stated that two civilians were killed and their daughter injured in what Moscow deemed a terrorist attack on the road bridge, a major artery for Russian troops fighting in Ukraine.

The Kremlin stated that there is no connection between the attack and its decision to suspend the grain agreement, which it says is also intended to ease restrictions on Russian food and fertilizer exports.

"In fact, the Black Sea agreements are no longer in effect as of today," said Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov to reporters in a conference call. "Unfortunately, the part of these Black Sea agreements pertaining to Russia has not been implemented so far, so its effect is ceased."

Images showed a section of the road bridge collapsing, and traffic was halted in both directions, although a parallel railway bridge was still functional. Explosions were reported before dawn on the 19-kilometer (12-mile) bridge, which Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered to be built after the occupation and annexation of the peninsula from Ukraine in 2014.

Kyiv has not provided any official report on the explosion. It usually does not comment on reports of attacks in Crimea or Russia, but has long maintained that the bridge was built illegally and its use by Russia for military supplies makes it a legitimate target. Russia reopened the bridge after it was last hit by a massive explosion and fire in October.

Russia's suspension of the grain agreement in the Black Sea could lead to an increase in global food prices, particularly in the poorest countries. Ukraine and Russia are among the world's largest exporters of grains and other food products.

Russia's move may trigger a new storm in the food market, not only within the European Union, as immediately after Moscow announced this decision, wheat prices on exchanges significantly rose.