Ukraine Seizes Cargo Ship Allegedly Exporting Stolen Grain

Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) detained a foreign cargo ship and its captain off the Odesa region on suspicion of aiding Russia in the export of stolen Ukrainian grain from Crimea. The vessel, identified as the Cameroon-flagged USKO MFU, allegedly docked multiple times at Sevastopol to load agricultural products. The ship and its crew are under investigation.

Ukraine seized a foreign cargo ship off the coast of its Odesa region, detaining the captain on suspicion of assisting Moscow in exporting stolen Ukrainian grain from Russian-occupied Crimea, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) reported on Thursday.

Kyiv has long accused Russia of trading stolen grain since the onset of the 2022 conflict, but ship seizures have been infrequent. Shipping sources are now wary of potential retaliatory actions, especially as Ukraine's grain exports peak. The seized vessel, repeatedly docked at the Crimean port of Sevastopol to pick up what the SBU termed as 'looted' agricultural products in 2023-24.

While the vessel's Turkey-based manager claimed the cargo was loaded in Moldova and denied using Ukrainian ports under Russian control, Ukrainian soldiers boarded the ship along the Danube River, forced it to anchor, and presented an arrest order. The investigation aims to uncover all involved parties and could see the captain sentenced to up to five years in prison.