Russian ship transported over 8,000 tons of steel from Sevastopol to Syria

The “Viktor Zabelin” (IMO:9210256), a cargo ship under sanctions, loaded rolled steel in Crimea and is heading to Syria.

This was reported by Kateryna Yaresko, a journalist for the SeaKrime project of the Peacemaker Center.

According to her, hot-rolled rolled steel weighing over 8 thousand tons was loaded onto the ship in Komyshova Bay of occupied Sevastopol from March 5 to 12. Currently, “Viktor Zabelin” (IMO:9210256) is heading to Syria.

“Cooperation between Syria and the Russian aggressor is developing, metal is being added to the grain,” Kateryna Yaresko emphasized.

The Defense Intelligence of the MoD War&Sanctions portal notes that the owner and manager of the vessel is the sanctioned Russian shipping company JSC “Northern Sea Shipping Company”, which is affiliated with the Russian Ministry of Defense, in particular, provides services under state defense contracts for the transportation of cargo.

In May 2022, the US imposed sanctions on 27 of the company’s vessels, including the Viktor Zabelin vessel. In November 2025, Ukraine also imposed sanctions on the vessel.

Recall that recently, a Russian vessel with stolen Ukrainian grain was not accepted in a Turkish port. The bulk carrier Grumant (IMO:9385879) stood under the Russian flag for three weeks, but was never accepted in the port of Izmir.