Russia supplies 70 countries with grain stolen from Ukraine

Russia has turned stolen Ukrainian grain into a global business, with 70 countries, including Egypt, Türkiye and Iran, now purchasing it.

Source: Ukrainian outlet AgroPolit, citing National Resistance Center of Ukraine

Quote: "The Kremlin is once again trying to hold its top spot in the global grain market – this time at the expense of Ukrainian temporarily occupied territories. Experts note that this is a case of large-scale grain looting – a crime for which all those involved, from officials to international intermediaries, will be held accountable." 

Details: About 2.5 million tonnes of new harvest wheat have been taken from Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson oblasts to Russia.

"Even Russian propagandists admit that the so-called ‘new regions’ have replenished Russia’s grain reserves despite the drought. The removal of grain is accompanied by the full control of the occupying authorities over agricultural companies and the blocking of local farmers’ access to their own produce," the outlet noted.

"The occupiers are using food resources from occupied Ukrainian territories as both a war trophy and a tool of pressure. Such actions constitute a gross violation of international humanitarian law and are a sign of a war crime," AgroPolit added.

Earlier, Russia resumed the export of Ukrainian grain from part of temporarily occupied Zaporizhzhia Oblast to ports in Rostov-on-Don.

Background:

• Russia resumed grain supplies to Syria, including stolen Ukrainian grain. Russia had been Syria’s main grain supplier before the fall of the Assad regime but largely suspended supplies in December 2024 due to payment delays and uncertainty over the new government.
• The Kremlin is planning to increase the share of stolen grain from the occupied territories of Ukraine in Russia’s total harvest, as this year Russia itself will collect only a limited harvest due to drought, sanctions and limited access to machinery, while grain sales in June already dropped by 34.5%.
• It was previously reported that Ukraine plans to appeal to the European Union to impose sanctions on Bangladeshi companies importing wheat from Ukrainian territories occupied by Russia. Bangladesh has failed to stop this trade even after Ukraine officially stated that the grain was stolen and provided evidence.
• Earlier reports suggested that Russia had been supplying what was likely stolen Ukrainian grain to the Houthis, who control most of Yemen. This conclusion was drawn by Bellingcat and Lloyd’s List after studying the movement of a ship transporting grain.
• A Russian state-owned company exported almost 212,000 tonnes of grain from the occupied part of Zaporizhzhia Oblast in 2023 alone, worth an estimated US$46 million. Ukrainian grain is being shipped to Türkiye, Libya and Israel.
• Defence Intelligence of Ukraine has released data on another 42 vessels of Russia’s shadow fleet, which are involved in exporting sanctioned Russian and Iranian oil, stolen Ukrainian grain and coal from occupied territories, and refuelling Russia’s fleet.