Ukraine seized a foreign vessel allegedly involved in transporting stolen Ukrainian grain from Russian-occupied territories, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) said on April 25.
Russia had looted millions of tons of Ukrainian grain from occupied territories, with at least 180,000 tons stolen through Mariupol alone, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said on Oct. 8, 2024.
According to the SBU statement, the ship, allegedly part of Russia’s so-called "shadow fleet," was detained in Ukraine’s internal Black Sea waters.
Investigators said the vessel had loaded around 5,000 tons of stolen Ukrainian wheat from the Russian-occupied port city of Sevastopol in late 2024 and attempted to disguise its operations by sailing under the flag of an Asian country.
During the search, authorities discovered documents, navigation equipment, and other evidence allegedly confirming the ship’s role in smuggling Ukrainian agricultural products, the SBU said.
The ship and its crew have been detained, and an investigation is underway to identify all parties involved, according to the statement.
The operation was carried out by the SBU in cooperation with Ukraine’s Navy and maritime border units, under the supervision of the Prosecutor's Office for Crimea and Sevastopol.
Russia’s theft of Ukrainian grain and repeated attacks on agricultural infrastructure have caused severe damage to Ukraine’s farming industry, once among the world’s top wheat producers. The situation worsened after Moscow withdrew from the Black Sea grain deal in July 2023, although Ukraine later established a new maritime trade corridor.
Evidence collected by human rights investigators also suggests that the Kremlin planned to weaponize food supplies and disrupt Ukraine’s agricultural output months before launching the full-scale invasion.
Despite the losses, Ukraine managed to export nearly 100 million tons of goods from January to September 2024.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
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