Vessels used by Russia for transporting grain and energy resources
The Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine has published a list of 26 vessels that Russia uses to transport grain from temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, as well as Russian oil, petroleum products, and liquefied natural gas from the Arctic LNG-2 project. Out of these vessels, 18 are not under sanctions from any of Ukraine's partner countries.
Operations for transporting Russian energy resources
Among the published vessels, oil tankers have been identified that transport Russian oil and petroleum products from the ports of the Black Sea and Baltic regions. These operations are carried out on behalf of companies such as:
- Lukoil
- Rosneft
- Surkhotneftegaz
- Novatek
- Tatneft
- Gazprom
Bulk carriers, which are also included in the list, are involved in exporting agricultural products from the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine through the ports of Berdiansk, Sevastopol, Kerch, and Feodosia. Additionally, LNG tankers transport liquefied gas from the floating storage SAAM FSU, which is under sanctions.
It has been noted that the bulk carrier LAMAR S in 2026 repeatedly loaded wheat at the Avlita terminal in temporarily occupied Sevastopol for further delivery, including to Syria. The vessel NAYA FALCON this year exported food soda and granulated wheat bran from Sevastopol to Egypt and Cyprus. The tanker GREGAL, owned by Cymare Navigation FZC from the United Arab Emirates, is reportedly affiliated with the Russian Sovcomflot according to the GUR.
Since 2022, Russia has stolen about 15 million tons of grain from temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. According to the GUR, Russia systematically exports harvests from the territories of Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia regions, and Crimea since the start of the full-scale invasion. The Swedish Prosecutor General's Office has also reported the confiscation of the shadow fleet vessel Caffa, which is under sanctions from Ukraine. This vessel was used for transporting grain from temporarily occupied territories.
Exporting energy resources remains one of the main sources of financing Russia's war against Ukraine. The theft of Ukrainian agricultural products and their export are also used by Russia as a tool for influencing other states – specifically to obtain political and economic preferences, the GUR of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine states.
“This situation emphasizes the importance of international cooperation in the field of sanctions against the aggressor and the necessity for active actions from Ukraine's partner countries to limit Russia's resources.” - GUR of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine
At the same time, the export of Ukrainian agricultural products through temporarily occupied territories poses a serious threat to Ukraine's economy and regional food security. It is important to continue monitoring the activities of the vessels mentioned in the list and take measures to prevent further violations of international law.
It is important to note that recently sanctions from the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine were directed against vessels engaged in the export of Ukrainian grain. These measures underscore Ukraine's efforts in combating the illegal export of agricultural products from temporarily occupied territories, which is a crucial aspect for restoring the country's economy and protecting national interests.