Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry asks Israel to seize a shipment of grain delivered by a Russian vessel

The wheat delivered by the Abinsk vessel to the port of Haifa, according to available information, comes from the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine.

This was reported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted that the Ukrainian side informed the Israeli partners in advance, in particular on March 23, about the Abinsk vessel and the possible origin of the cargo from the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine.

“The inadmissibility of import operations with such products was also emphasized. Assurances were received regarding the appropriate response. At the same time, it is worrying that despite the information provided and contacts between the parties, the vessel was allowed to unload in the port of Haifa on April 12-14,” the ministry added.

In particular, the Ukrainian side considers the Abinsk vessel as one that may be involved in the activities of the “shadow fleet”, which the aggressor state uses to illegally export, transport and sell stolen Ukrainian grain from the temporarily occupied territories and, ultimately, finance the war against Ukraine.

Based on the materials of the Prosecutor General’s Office of Ukraine, including the decision of the Ukrainian court to arrest the vessel and cargo within the framework of the relevant criminal proceedings, the Ukrainian side immediately sent a request for international legal assistance to the state of Israel.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine expressed hope for constructive interaction between the competent authorities of Ukraine and Israel, due consideration of the request and application of relevant legal mechanisms within the framework of Israeli jurisdiction.

“The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry expects that the Israeli side will make a balanced and lawful decision and satisfy the relevant request of the Ukrainian side, in particular, arrest the specified batch of grain in order to prevent similar situations in the future,” the ministry added.

Earlier, USM reported that on April 12, the port of Haifa (Israel) received the Russian bulk carrier Abinsk, which was transporting more than 43 thousand tons of wheat from the occupied territories of Ukraine.

Later it became known that the bulk carrier Abinsk left the port and indicates the status “in ballast.”