Ukraine urges Israel to seize grain stolen by Russia
Photo: Ukraine demands that Israel seize the stolen grain (Getty Images)
The ABINSK vessel has arrived at the port of Haifa in Israel, carrying a shipment of wheat that the Russians may have exported from the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine submits a request for international legal assistance to seize the cargo.
Haifa port incident details
As early as March 23, the Ukrainian side warned Israel about the possible origin of the grain on board the ABINSK and emphasized the inadmissibility of such import operations.
Despite receiving assurances of a response, the ship was allowed to unload on April 12–14.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, this vessel may belong to a shadow fleet that Russia uses to sell stolen resources and finance the war.
Ukrainian Foreign Ministry's reaction and legal measures
The Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine has already initiated criminal proceedings, within which a Ukrainian court has seized the vessel and its cargo. Based on this evidence, Kyiv has requested legal assistance from Israel.
"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine expects the Israeli side to make a balanced and lawful decision and to grant the relevant request of the Ukrainian side, specifically to seize the aforementioned shipment of grain," the Ministry emphasizes.
Ukrainian diplomats are calling on international partners to take a principled stance to prevent the legalization of stolen Ukrainian resources in the future.
Theft of Ukrainian grain and Russia’s shadow fleet
Earlier, Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha stated that Russia had formed a shadow grain fleet. Last year alone, the occupiers stole approximately 2 million tons of grain from Ukraine's temporarily occupied territories.
In addition, law enforcement agencies are systematically working to expose schemes involving the embezzlement of agricultural products. In particular, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office uncovered a large-scale corruption scheme at the State Food and Grain Corporation, through which more than 100,000 tons of grain disappeared to Iran and Egypt.
Ukraine is also taking measures to seize offending vessels in international waters. Previously, a Russian vessel was seized after it attempted to smuggle wheat out of occupied Crimea under a false flag.
