In the temporarily occupied territories, excluding the Crimean peninsula, 3.7 million tons of Ukrainian grain were stolen.
This was reported by the Center of National Resistance.
Of these, 1.4 million tons were stolen in Zaporizhzhia. All this grain is robbed by the Russians from farmers, who are forced to sell their products at fixed prices many times lower than market prices. Further, the grain is resold to enterprises related to Gauleiter and sold at market prices.
At the same time, the results of a study conducted by Bellingcat in cooperation with Lloyd’s List Intelligence indicate that Russian ships have begun transporting grain from the occupied territory of Ukraine to Iran.
Thus, the ship “Mikhail Nenashev” in June 2023, turning off the recognition system, passed through the Kerch Strait to Sevastopol. From June 21 to 24, the ship was loaded with grain. On June 26, the bulker’s AIS signal reappeared south of the Kerch Strait as it returned to the Black Sea.
AIS data from Lloyd’s List Intelligence showed that the Mikhail Nenashev crossed the Mediterranean Sea on July 5 before entering the Suez Canal and passing through the Red Sea. On July 12, he headed east through the Gulf of Aden before proceeding to the Persian Gulf. On July 20, it arrived at its destination at the port of Bandar Khomeni in southern Iran.
Satellite images showed the vessel moored with hatches open, with grain visible.
The change in draft from 9.6 meters when the Mikhail Nenashev entered Bandar Khomen, compared to 6 meters when it left, suggests that its cargo capacity has decreased – likely signaling that at least some of its cargo has been unloaded there. Trucks and scattered grain were seen on the pier.
Bellingcat sent an inquiry to Crane Marine Contractor, the company that operates the vessel, but did not receive a response.
The investigators recalled that earlier grain from the occupied territories of Ukraine was exported to Syria and Turkey.
In addition, satellite images taken in 2023 show that Russian ships also exported grain from other ports in Crimea and other occupied territories of Ukraine, such as Feodosia, Mariupol, Berdyansk and Kerch.