Ukraine asks Israel to detain ship carrying grain allegedly stolen by Russia

Ukraine has asked Israel to detain a ship carrying grain it claims was stolen by Russia from occupied territories, Ukraine's Prosecutor General said on December 17. The move comes amid rising diplomatic tensions between the two countries over the cargo.

Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko said the vessel Panormitis is heading to the Israeli port of Haifa with grain that was “partially shipped” from Ukrainian regions under Russian occupation. The grain was previously loaded from another ship.

“The Ukrainian side asks the Israeli partners to detain the ship and cargo, conduct a search, seize ship and cargo documents, take grain samples, and interrogate the crew,” Kravchenko said.

Earlier, Ukraine and Israel traded accusations. Ukraine said it repeatedly asked Israel through diplomatic channels to take action against the ship. Israel accused Ukraine of using “Twitter diplomacy.”

An official from Royal Maritime Inc, the Greek-based manager of the Panormitis, denied the ship is carrying grain from occupied Ukraine. “All the legal documents we have, including certificates of origin, show the cargo is Russian,” the official said.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, who earlier said Ukraine has not provided evidence for its claims, wrote on X on December 17 that Ukraine sent the request to detain the ship late on December 16. “A legal request should be sent before posting on Twitter. You chose a different path, for your own reasons. The request is now being examined by the relevant authorities,” he wrote.

Diplomatic relations between Ukraine and Israel have been deteriorating recently. Kyiv has repeatedly protested Russia's export of grain from occupied eastern Ukrainian regions since the full-scale invasion in 2022 and from Crimea, annexed by Russia in 2014. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on December 16 threatened sanctions against anyone seeking to profit from this shipment, and Ukraine summoned Israel's ambassador over its perceived inaction.

Moscow has not commented on the legal status of grain harvested in occupied areas. The Kremlin declined to comment on the Panormitis, saying Russia would not intervene.

The European Union (EU) on December 16 said it approached Israel about a “Russian shadow fleet ship” carrying stolen grain and is ready to sanction individuals and entities in third countries supporting Russia's war effort financially.

Ukraine's Foreign Ministry on December 16 said that since March, Ukraine has contacted Israel about another vessel, the Abinsk, also alleged to be carrying stolen grain. That ship was unloaded and left Israel despite Kyiv's request. “We expect the Israeli side to seriously consider instead of responding with emotional statements,” Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha wrote on X on December 17.