Ukraine formally asks Israel to seize vessel carrying grain stolen by Russia
Ukraine has officially approached Israel through diplomatic and legal channels, requesting action regarding the vessel Panormitis.
Source: Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha; Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko on social media
Details: The Office of the Prosecutor General has initiated proceedings to seize the vessel Panormitis and its cargo, which investigators believe may be part of a scheme to legitimise Ukrainian grain that is being exported illegally.
A request for international legal assistance has already been sent to the competent authorities of Israel, Kravchenko said.
Ukraine is asking its Israeli partners to detain the vessel and cargo, conduct searches, seize ship and cargo documentation, take grain samples and question the crew.
According to investigators, Panormitis is transporting grain, part of which may have been taken from temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. The cargo was loaded after being transferred from another vessel, and the ship is currently heading to the Israeli port of Haifa.
Investigators have documented the vessel's illegal entry into closed Ukrainian ports, which constitutes a serious violation of Ukrainian law and international maritime law.
The pre-trial investigation is being conducted by the Main Investigation Department of the Security Service of Ukraine under the procedural supervision of prosecutors from the Prosecutor General's Office.
Quote from Sybiha: "This is not Twitter diplomacy, but a very concrete legal and diplomatic request for international legal assistance that necessitates a response. We expect the Israeli side to take it seriously rather than responding with emotional statements."
For reference: According to the Prosecutor General's Office, since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion, more than 1.7 million tonnes of agricultural products worth over UAH 20 billion (about US$450,000) have been illegally exported from temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories.
Background:
- President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has criticised Israel for accepting vessels carrying grain stolen by Russia and pledged to impose sanctions on those involved.
- On 28 April, the Foreign Ministry handed a note of protest to Michael Brodsky, Israel's ambassador to Ukraine, over the continued arrival of agricultural products illegally exported by Russia from occupied Ukrainian territories.
- The ministry also responded to criticism from Israel's foreign minister, who claimed that Ukrainian diplomats were communicating via social media rather than diplomatic channels, by providing a detailed timeline of Ukraine's actions.
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