Russia has opened a new market for stolen Ukrainian grain

For the first time, Russia has shipped a grain ship from occupied Sevastopol to Venezuela. In this way, Russia is trying to legalize trade routes from the occupied Ukrainian territories with its international partners, Lloyd’s List writes.

The Russian-flagged bulk carrier Enisey (IMO: 9079169) began loading grain in Sevastopol on April 9, according to satellite imagery reviewed by Lloyd’s List, before leaving the Bosphorus on April 30. Its automatic identification system signaled its final destination as Puerto Cabello.

Although Lloyd’s List was unable to independently verify the origin of the grain loaded, documents obtained by researchers from open sources SeaKrime and KibOrg indicate that Enisey loaded 27,000 tons of “wheat of Russian origin.”

Previous investigations by Lloyd’s List have shown that Sevastopol is used to export cargoes of Ukrainian origin.

“With this trade, Russia is signaling that the legitimization and internationalization of the so-called ‘new republics’ is now a political priority – they are no longer hiding it,” said Yoruk Ishik, a geopolitical consultant at the Bosphorus Observer.

russia has been a significant exporter of wheat to Venezuela in recent years, notably in 2017/18 and 2018/19, when it accounted for about a quarter of Venezuela’s total annual wheat imports. However, these shipments have only recently resumed.

In addition to the Enisey shipment, the WL Atlantic loaded at the port of Kaliningrad between April 13 and 15, 2024, and anchored at the port of Cabello on May 5.

Tags: stolen grain, Ukraine, Russia, Venezuela