Sibiga said that Russia stole over 2 mln tons of Ukrainian grain and called for sanctions

Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga has called for sanctions against Russia’s shadow grain fleet.

“In 2025, Russia stole more than 2 million tons of Ukrainian grain from our temporarily occupied territories. Moscow supplied it to the markets of Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Europe. Almost 40% was delivered to Egypt,” he wrote on the social network X.

According to the minister, Russia used ports in the Azov and Black Seas to carry out this illegal trade and created a shadow grain fleet.

Ukrainian intelligence has managed to identify 45 vessels involved in the theft of Ukrainian grain and its transportation to world markets. Sanctions have been imposed on 43 of them, as well as 39 captains.

“We are also tracking the companies involved in this illegal trade. All of them will feel the effects of Ukrainian sanctions, both judicial and special. I call on our European partners to begin a systematic counteraction to this Russian crime and the threat to global food security that it poses,” Sibiga wrote.

He noted that it is important to use both national and international instruments, and expects “more coordinated actions and efforts from the Frontex agency.”

According to the minister, all Russian infrastructure involved in the theft of Ukrainian grain, as well as its buyers, should be subject to European sanctions as soon as possible.

“We already have experience in countering Russia’s shadow tanker fleet. Now it’s time to stop the expansion of Russia’s shadow grain fleet. After all, this is not only a threat to global food security, but also another source of financing for the Kremlin regime and its war machine,” he noted, adding that in 2026 the Black Sea, the Sea of ​​Azov, and the Baltic Sea should be cleared of any Russian shadow fleets.

Tags: Ukraine, Russia, grain