Panama-flagged Panormitis turns away without unloading as Kyiv vows to treat carriers of ‘stolen’ grain the same as Russian oil tankers. What we know on day 1,528
A ship carrying what is said to be stolen Ukrainian grain did not unload in Israel after a week of heavy condemnation from Kyiv. The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, signalled there would be “a more systematic” campaign against vessels carrying grain exported illegally by Russia from occupied areas of Ukraine. “We will systematically act against the shadow grain fleet, in the same way we act against the shadow oil fleet.” Ukraine’s prosecutor general, Ruslan Kravchenko, said the vessel, Panormitis, left Israel’s territorial waters for neutral seas following “a range of procedural measures taken by Ukraine”.
Andrii Sybiha, the foreign minister in Kyiv, said Ukraine would continue to track the vessel and warn against any operations with it. “This is also a clear signal to all other vessels, captains, operators, insurers, and governments: do not buy stolen Ukrainian grain. Do not become part of this crime.” The Panama-flagged vessel’s manager was not immediately available for comment. The Jerusalem Post and other outlets on Thursday cited a statement from Israel’s grain importers association saying that the company importing the grain had been forced to turn away the vessel.
