The Ukrainian government believes Russia is specifically targeting its lucrative agricultural sector in a bid to suffocate its economy.
Speaking at the Australian Grains Industry Conference via video link Vasyl Myroshnychenko, Ukrainian ambassador to Australia and New Zealand said Ukraine's $68 billion agriculture industry, dominated by grain production, represented 40 per cent of his eastern European nation's revenue.
Mr Myroshnychenko said Russia's attempts to stop Ukraine exporting grain were not only focused around minimising Ukrainian earnings but that they were also looking to promote sales of their own grain and grain they had stolen from Ukraine to service markets that traditionally bought from Ukraine.
His claims emphasis the importance Russia is placing on food in its aims to win the conflict with its western neighbour.
Reports from Reuters had experts accusing Russia of "weaponising food".
This included offering cheap grain to importers in order to try and build up dependence on Russian imports and winning over their political support.
However, Mr Myroshnychenko said Ukraine was working hard to lobby African leaders, key consumers of grain from Russia and Ukraine, to support them and to not become involved in 'Russia's version of the Hunger Games'."
"Their food security depends on a resolution to this war," he said.
In terms of on the ground offensives, he said Ukraine was concerned at Russia's recent push to attack its port facilities including Odesa, one of its major Black Sea export hubs.
"Without the ability to move our wheat, which is being harvested now, in a timely manner we're going to need grain storage, but many of them are still full of last year's grain," he said.
"It is tough for farmers because our domestic prices are really low, reflecting the fact we can't get grain to the export market."
Mr Myroshnychenko said Russia was also strategically targeting water infrastructure.
"They have destroyed dams, which has flooded the land nearby but has also meant no irrigation water in the south where irrigation is necessary as it is hot."
He said Ukraine was hoping to see the Black Sea Grain Initiative, which successfully allowed millions of tonnes of grain to be shipped from the region, to be reinstated
"We are hopeful Turkey can play a role in getting the deal going again, Russia gets along with Turkey and Turkey with Ukraine."
Mr Myroshnychenko said this would help reduce the reliance of grain moving west through eastern Europe.
"There have been concerns within the European Union about grain getting dumped at cheaper prices and there are some restrictions on Ukrainian exports in parts of eastern Europe until September 5."
"It is a very sensitive political topic."