The Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) has detained a cargo ship and its captain for allegedly helping Moscow export Ukrainian grain from Crimea.
The SSU claimed that the vessel, which it did not identify, was travelling under the flag of a central African country and repeatedly docked at the sea port of Sevastopol to pick up “looted” agricultural products in 2023-24. After loading, the vessel transported the cargo to the Middle East for sale.
The Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) is accusing the captain for periodically turning off the vessel’s GPS tracker and entering inaccurate information into the vessel’s log.
It also claimed that the “captain aided in exporting multi-ton consignments of Ukrainian grain from occupied Ukrainian regions.”
The captain was not named but described as a citizen of one of the countries of the South Caucasus.
In addition to him, the ship had 12 other foreign crew members on board, without SSU elaborating on their nationality.
The Security Services of Ukraine noted in a statement that it found, during the search on board the ship, documents, navigation aids and other evidence of the activity.
The investigators said the captain was detained under suspicion of violating the procedure for entering and leaving the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine.
If the accusation is proved, the captain – a citizen of a South Caucasus country – could face up to five years in prison.
As part of the proceedings, the vessel was towed to Odesa and arrested. An investigation is ongoing to establish all the circumstances of the incident and other persons, if any, involved in the activity.
