The Swedish Supreme Court upheld a lower court decision allowing a general cargo ​vessel seized in the Baltic Sea this ‌year to be handed over to Ukraine.

The cargo vessel, which was seized by Sweden in the Baltic Sea in Swedish sea territory, can now be handed over to Ukraine.

The vessel was inspected due to suspicions related to its flag and possible maritime safety violations.

Kyiv authorities link the vessel to the export of Ukrainian goods from Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine.

The ship was first intercepted by Swedish coast guard in March outside the city of Trelleborg. It was allegedly sailing under a false flag when Swedish authorities boarded it in Swedish territorial waters to search it.

The coast guard took control of the vessel, saying it had unclear flag status and was thus suspected of being ‘stateless.’

In June, a Swedish court ruled that the ship’s seizure was lawful and the vessel could be transferred to Kyiv.

Sweden upheld that ruling in what Ukrainian Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrii Sybiha called “a landmark decision.”

The foreign minister noted that the decision demonstrates the effectiveness of law enforcement agencies, prosecution services, and an independent judiciary in holding violators of international law accountable.

“I welcome the decision by the Supreme Court of Sweden to uphold the seizure and transfer to Ukraine of the Russian shadow fleet vessel,” Sybiha wrote on X.  

Sybiha also emphasized that Ukraine will continue working to restrict the operations of Russia’s shadow fleet and its ability to finance the war.

“This landmark decision sets an important precedent, demonstrating that decisive action by law enforcement and prosecutors, combined with an independent and impartial judiciary, can translate the principle of accountability into tangible results. We continue working to counter Russia’s shadow fleet and its ability to earn money for its war,” Sybiha stressed on social media X.

According to Kyiv, Russia has been systematically seizing grain from occupied territories and exporting it.

These operations, Ukraine maintains, violate not only international norms but also the domestic laws of countries that receive such cargo.