"Concerning the possibility of famine, more and more experts are leaning towards a pessimistic scenario... and that is the fault of Western regimes, which act as provokers and destroyers," said foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on Telegram.

According to Zakharova, the West has made "systematic mistakes" in its agricultural policy planning and has caused global inflation with its "short-sighted" financial and monetary mechanisms created during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The West's "illegal restrictions" imposed on Russia since the Kremlin's offensive in Ukraine have also disrupted logistical and financial circuits, particularly for grain exports, she concluded.

The energy price surges are also the result of a "poorly thought-out" energy transition policy by European and North American countries, notably through "the forced introduction of biofuels", she added.