Ukraine slams ‘Israel’ over shipments of grain “stolen” by Russia

President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday slammed ‘Israel’ for allegedly accepting shipments of Ukrainian grain "stolen" by Russia, which occupies swathes of Ukrainian agricultural land.

"Another vessel carrying such grain has arrived at a port in Israel and is preparing to unload," Zelensky wrote in a statement on social media.

He added: "The Israeli authorities cannot be unaware of which ships are arriving at the country's ports and what cargo they are carrying."

Background 

Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha announced that ‘Israel's’ ambassador to Ukraine, Michael Brodsky, had been summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kyiv.

The meeting was intended to deliver a formal protest note and request appropriate action regarding a vessel carrying grain that Ukraine claims was stolen from Russian-occupied territories and destined for the port of Haifa.

The latest incident involves the vessel Panormitis, which arrived in Haifa Bay on or around April 26-27, 2026.

Ukrainian officials assert that the ship is transporting grain originating from areas of Ukraine under Russian control, describing the cargo as stolen property that helps finance Russia's ongoing war effort.

This marks the second such case in recent weeks, following the arrival of the Russian-flagged bulk carrier Abinsk in mid-April, which reportedly unloaded a significant quantity of similar grain in Haifa despite prior warnings from Kyiv.

Minister Sybiha expressed frustration over ‘Israel's’ response to the previous shipment.

He stated that it was "difficult to understand Israel's lack of appropriate response" to Ukraine's legitimate requests concerning the Abinsk, which Ukrainian authorities had flagged in advance.

In his public remarks, Sybiha warned that accepting the stolen grain would harm bilateral relations between the two.

Ukraine maintains that all grain produced in the temporarily occupied territories rightfully belongs to it and that its export constitutes illegal activity linked to Russia's so-called "shadow fleet."

A Ukrainian diplomatic source indicated that permitting the Panormitis to unload could lead to a broader diplomatic and potentially legal response from Kyiv.

In response, ‘Israeli’ Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar rejected the allegations, describing them as unproven and stating that ‘Israel’ would examine the situation.

‘Israeli’ authorities have reportedly indicated that action against the earlier vessel was no longer feasible once it had departed Haifa.

The diplomatic exchange occurs amid broader tensions stemming from the Russia-Ukraine war, now in its fifth year.

Grain exports from occupied regions have been a recurring point of contention, with Ukraine actively tracking vessels and urging partner nations to prevent the import of disputed cargoes.