Kyiv has urged Turkey to detain a Russian-flagged freighter carrying grain mounted from a Ukrainian port seized by Russia.
Ukrainian Foreign Ministry officials believe that the Zhibek Zholy, with a tonnage of 7,146 deadweight (DWT), loaded the cargo of some 4,500 tonnes of grain from Berdyansk, Reuters reported citing officials of the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Earlier in a letter dated June 30, Ukraine’s Attorney General’s Office had written to the Turkish Ministry of Justice informing it of the “illegal export of Ukrainian grain” en route from Berdyansk to Karasu in Turkey.
The attorney general’s office also asked Turkey to “conduct an inspection of this vessel, seize samples of grain for forensic examination, demand information on the location of this grain” in the letter, because he was proposing a joint investigation with the Turkish authorities.
Yevhen Batytskyi, the new Russian governor of the occupied territory of Zaporizhzhia, took to Telegram to announce the departure of the ship from Berdyansk, on the Sea of Azov, the BBC reported. He added that 7,000 tonnes of grain would be shared with “friendly” countries.
Ukraine’s Ambassador to Turkey Vasyl Bodnar also urged the country to take action against the ship.
“Based on the letter we received from [the Ukrainian prosecutor-general] we asked the Turkish side to take the necessary measures,” he tweeted on July 1.
“We have good communication and intensive cooperation with the Turkish authorities. I am convinced that the decisions to be taken will prevent attempts to violate the territorial integrity of Ukraine,” he added.
Meanwhile, Kremlin officials in Moscow did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Friday.
Although Ukraine has in the past accused Russia of stealing grain from its territory seized by Russian forces, the Kremlin has previously denied the allegations.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry also did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the arrival of the Zhibek Zholy.
The Kazakhstan-based owner of the vessel, KTZ Express, said that although it is owned by the company, it was chartered by a Russian company on a bareboat charter, which means no crew or supply were involved in the lease. The company added that it would abide by all sanctions and restrictions.
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