Unacceptable dissonance: Foreign Ministry hands note to Israeli ambassador over stolen grain

The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs handed a note of protest to Israel's Ambassador Michael Brodsky on 28 April over the continued arrival in Israel of agricultural products illegally exported by the Russian Federation from the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine.

Source: a comment by Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi, as cited on the ministry's website

Details: Ukraine stressed that the origin of this grain has been conclusively established, and that the schemes used to conceal it – including ship-to-ship transshipment in the Black Sea – are well known, including to the relevant Israeli authorities. Despite this, such cargoes continue to reach Israeli ports and enter commercial circulation.

It was also emphasised that Israel's disregard for official appeals from Ukraine and requests for international legal assistance – including requests to detain vessels and cargo – effectively creates conditions for the legalisation of stolen Ukrainian grain.

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry stated that it does not view these cases as isolated incidents, but as a systemic practice showing signs of deliberate facilitation of illegal economic activity linked to the temporary occupation of Ukrainian territories, as well as the circumvention of sanctions placed on Russia.

Tykhyi stressed that this is not only about Israel: Ukraine is systematically responding to and countering such activities by the Russian Federation across all geographies.

Kyiv also drew attention to the unacceptable dissonance of Ukraine's support for Israel's security and decisions aimed at countering terrorist threats – including those linked to Iran – contrasted by Israel in effect allowing the import of stolen Ukrainian grain from Russia.

In this regard, Ukraine demands that Israel urgently take measures to halt the import of stolen grain and prevent its unloading in Israeli ports.

Separately, the Foreign Ministry responded to remarks by an Israeli minister who claimed that Ukrainian diplomats "communicate via social media rather than through diplomatic channels", setting out a step-by-step chronology of the Ukrainian side's actions:

23 March: a meeting of Ukraine's ambassador to Israel at the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, during which a note was handed over and information provided about the vessel ABINSK and its cargo of stolen Ukrainian grain, stressing that any import operations involving this vessel are unacceptable.

Late March – first half of April: a series of communications between Ukraine's ambassador to Israel and Israeli officials regarding the vessel in question.

14 April: an official call between the foreign ministers, during which Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha urged his Israeli counterpart not to accept the cargo or the vessel.

15 April (late in the day): the Embassy of Ukraine in the State of Israel, in working order, received materials relating to a request from the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine for international legal assistance, along with a relevant court ruling on the application of a preventive measure concerning the Abbinsk vessel within the framework of criminal proceedings No. 42022000000000615.

These materials were transmitted the same day to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Justice of the State of Israel by a diplomatic note No. 6164/22-012-44032-ВН from the Embassy dated 15 April 2026.

15 April: Israel completed the unloading of the vessel ahead of schedule and allowed it to depart, despite Ukraine's request not to do so.

16 April: Ukraine reiterated its request for international legal assistance and expressed hope that the unloaded grain would be seized.

Second half of April: additional diplomatic and legal appeals by the Embassy of Ukraine in the State of Israel to the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Justice, as well as preparation of a lawsuit before an Israeli court in the criminal case concerning the stolen grain.

20 April: the only official response to date from the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the Ukrainian request was received. In essence, it stated that Israel does not plan to take concrete measures to stop the illegal trade or to seize consignments of stolen grain or the vessels transporting it, citing formally that the vessel had left Israel and that it does not consider the evidence provided by Ukraine sufficient.

25 April: the Embassy of Ukraine in the State of Israel officially informed Israel about another vessel, Panormitis, which was again approaching Haifa with a cargo of grain originating from the occupied territories of Ukraine. This information was again ignored.

27 April (evening): an official note of protest was sent to the Embassy of the State of Israel in Ukraine with information about the vessel and its cargo, demanding that measures be taken. Israel's Ambassador to Ukraine Michael Brodsky was officially summoned to the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

28 April (morning): Ambassador Michael Brodsky received the aforementioned note at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine; its contents and Ukraine's position on the matter were conveyed to him verbally.

Since 27 April: despite media reports and all actions taken by the Ukrainian side, the vessel has remained at anchor off Haifa and is awaiting unloading.

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