Ukraine’s ambassador to Turkey announced Sunday that Turkish customs authorities have finally seized a Russian cargo ship carrying 4,500 tons of grain that Kyiv has claimed was stolen from Berdyansk.
It seems to have found itself in a diplomatic “Gordian link” between Ukraine and Russia the anchor.
According to Reuters, Ukraine’s ambassador to Turkey announced on Sunday that Turkish customs authorities had finally seized a Russian cargo ship carrying 4,500 tons of grain which Kyiv claimed was stolen from Berdyansk.
The ambassador of Ukraine in Ankara, Vasil Bodar, stated that the ship is Russian-flagged.
Ukraine asked Turkey to impound the cargo ship Zhibek Zholy, the agency reported. “We have full cooperation,” Bodar said, adding that Ukraine hopes to seize the grain quantities.
On Friday it became known that Ukraine asked her Turkey to stop and impound the Russian-flagged cargo ship Zhibek Zholy, which it is transporting cereals received from the Russian-held port of Berdyansk, according to a Ukrainian official and a document obtained by Reuters.
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry official, citing information received from the country’s merchant shipping services, said the Zhibek Zholy had loaded about 4,500 tons of grain from Berdyansk, a city owned by Ukraine.
In a letter dated June 30 and addressed to Turkey’s Ministry of Justice, Ukraine’s general prosecutor’s office also claims that Zhibek Zholy is involved in “illegal export of Ukrainian grain” from Berdyansk to Karasu, Turkey. In this letter it is stated that the cargo reaches 7,000 tons of cargo, an amount greater than that stated by the official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Kazakhstan-based KTZ Express confirmed to Reuters that the Zhibek Zholy was owned by it, but that it was chartered by Russian company Green Line, saying it was not subject to sanctions. KTZ Express added that it is consulting with all parties involved and will comply with all sanctions and any restrictions.
Ukraine accuses Russia of stealing grain from territories seized by Russian forces after the February 24 invasion of the country. The Kremlin, for its part, denies that the Russians are stealing Ukrainian grain.
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