Ukraine Says Ship Carrying "Stolen" Grain by Russia Arrives in Israel, Requests Seizure

Ukraine has formally requested Israel to seize a vessel allegedly carrying grain looted from Russian-occupied areas, triggering an unusual diplomatic rift between the two countries. The dispute came into public view this week, with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy stating that another ship laden with "stolen" grain from Russia had arrived at an Israeli port and was preparing to unload.

Ukrainian Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko posted on a social platform: "Ukraine is requesting its Israeli partners to seize the vessel and its cargo, conduct inspections, detain documents related to the ship and goods, extract grain samples, and interrogate the crew." According to Ukraine, the cargo ship "Panormitis," flying the Panamanian flag, is en route to Haifa Port. Ukraine's Foreign Ministry also stated on Tuesday that since March, Kyiv had raised concerns about another vessel named "Abinsk," alleging it carried stolen grain. Despite Kyiv’s objections, the ship was allowed to offload and depart.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar rejected Ukraine’s accusation that Israel permitted stolen grain to enter its ports, accusing Kyiv of engaging in "Twitter diplomacy" without providing evidence that the Russian goods awaiting entry originated from occupied Ukrainian territory. Saar added that the formal petition submitted by Ukraine on Tuesday "is currently under review by the relevant authorities." Representatives of the ship’s management company based in Greece also denied that the vessel carried grain from occupied Ukrainian territories, stating in a statement to Reuters that their cargo originated from Russia.

EU foreign policy spokesperson Anouar El Aouni told media that the EU "notes reports that a Russian shadow fleet vessel carrying stolen Ukrainian grain was allowed to unload at Haifa Port in Israel, despite prior communications from Ukraine to Israeli authorities." The EU is considering imposing sanctions on Israeli individuals and entities assisting Russia. Analysts point out that this incident reveals a divergence in positions between Ukraine and Israel regarding the war, leaving open whether the dispute can be resolved through diplomatic channels.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1863949180012555/

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