Ukraine has taken control of a foreign cargo ship in the Black Sea off the coast of Odesa region has detained the captain of the vessel on suspicion of assisting Moscow in the export of Ukrainian grain from the Russian-occupied Crimea peninsula, the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) announced, reports Reuters, quoted by BTA.
The vessel, which has not been identified, was flying the flag of a Central African country and had repeatedly called at the Crimean seaport of Sevastopol to pick up “seized” agricultural products in 2023-24, SSU said.
In the first year of its invasion in 2022, Russian forces occupied vast southern agricultural areas of Ukraine, and Kiev accused Russia of stealing and destroying its grain.
The SSU said the captain and 12 crew members helped Russia export several tons of Ukrainian grain taken from the occupied south to the Middle East for sale on Russia's behalf.
„The investigation continues to establish all the circumstances of the crime and to identify other persons involved in the illegal activity”, the SSU said.
The captain, a citizen of a South Caucasus country, could be sentenced to up to five years in prison for violating travel restrictions governing the Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine.