Russian thief-vessel loaded grain in occupied Sevastopol

The Matros Koshka vessel, flying the Russian flag, is carrying over 27,000 tons of stolen grain. The grain is likely to be delivered to Syria.

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

According to her, from October 3 to 7, the bulk carrier Matros Koshka (IMO:9550137) was loaded in occupied Sevastopol at the Avlita grain terminal.

“The vessel carries 27,500 tons of grain, mainly from the occupied regions of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions. The offender indicates that he is going to Egypt, but we think that we will see him in Syria,” Kateryna Yaresko noted.

The Defense Intelligence War&Sanctions portal indicates that since the beginning of 2022, the vessel has been involved in the systematic theft of Ukrainian grain from the TOT of Ukraine (Sevastopol) to Syria, Turkey, as well as through transshipment in the port of Kavkaz (Russian Federation) with the AIS signal turned off. Also, to mask its activities in the TOT of Crimea during entry/exit from the Sevastopol bay, the bulk carrier uses the name “Maria Ermolova” for the vessel, at the same time the same name is used by the vessel with IMO: 9573816.

Recall that at the end of September, the vessel, which the UN allowed to deliver grain to the Houthis, again loaded stolen grain in Crimea.