Russia exporting stolen Ukrainian grain to Turkey, investigation claims
Kyiv, Jul 5 (EFE).- Russia is exporting stolen Ukrainian grain to Turkey, an investigative journalist team claimed Tuesday.
The evidence presented by Skhemy, a program produced by the United States-funded Radio Free Europe, included satellite images and documents alleging that vessels turned off their radar signals when entering the sanctioned Black Sea port of Sevastopol, in Crimea, which was annexed by Russia in 2014.
The report, published by Ukrainski Prava, claimed to debunk Turkish reassurances that the country would not import grain stolen by Russian forces from occupied regions of Ukraine, including southern Kherson and Zaporizhia.
Journalists tracked two vessels, one Russian and one Syrian, which ferried allegedly stolen grain from the Alvita terminal in Sevastopol to Turkish ports.
“Journalists also published photos of documents accompanying the grain, which Turkey imports in large batches: the documents indicate the place of origin for the goods as ‘Crimea, Russia’,” the report said.
“One such vessel is the Mikhail Nenashev, sailing under the Russian flag. The journalists provide evidence that it has made three sailings from a port in Crimea to ports in Turkey.”
The other cargo ship tracked by Skhemy was the Syrian Finikia, which was documented at the Avlita port on April 20.
It did not reappear on ship-tracking radars until the following day, when it had left port. By April 29, it docked in the private port of MMK Metalurji near Iskenderun, Turkey, to unload its cargo.EFE
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