Ukraine to hit Russia's shadow fleet with new sanctions over stolen grain
Photo: Russia exported hundreds of thousands of tons of grain from occupied territories (Getty Images)
Ukraine will step up measures against Russia’s shadow fleet and push for new sanctions over the mass export of stolen grain from occupied territories, according to Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha.
Scale of illegal exports
According to the minister, in just the first four months of 2026, around 50 direct voyages by Russian vessels from closed Ukrainian ports to third countries were recorded.
During this period, more than 850,000 tons of grain were illegally exported from temporarily occupied territories.
The largest hub for transporting stolen grain was Sevastopol, accounting for more than 50% of the total volume. Another 13% of shipments were sent from ports in the Azov Sea — Mariupol and Berdiansk.
Sanctions evasion schemes
The minister stressed that Russia is trying to conceal the illegal trade through technical manipulations.
In particular, ship crews switch off transponders, falsify coordinates, and conduct ship-to-ship transfers in open waters.
Ukraine already has data on specific vessels, companies, and their owners, and has consistently raised the issue of closed ports within the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
In December 2023, the IMO Assembly adopted a relevant resolution calling for investigations into such violations.
Response and tougher restrictions
Sybiha stressed that Ukraine will respond firmly to the theft of property, recalling the painful experience of the Holodomor (genocide by hunger - ed.).
Kyiv plans to initiate new sanctions packages within the EU, G7, and other jurisdictions against all those involved in the operation of the shadow fleet.
"We will be working with partners to update relevant lists and ensure targeted and severe restrictions," the Foreign Minister said.
Stolen grain scandal and Israel
A diplomatic dispute recently erupted between Ukraine and Israel over the purchase of stolen grain from the temporarily occupied territories by Israel.
The Foreign Ministry noted that shipments of stolen grain were delivered not only to Israel but also to countries in Africa and other regions.
Kyiv has already officially addressed Jerusalem through diplomatic and legal channels regarding a violating vessel, stressing that it expects concrete action rather than emotional statements.
At the same time, Ukraine and the EU are preparing a joint sanctions strike against Russia’s shadow grain fleet, targeting both ship owners and captains of such vessels.
