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A diplomatic scandal between Ukraine and Israel over the shipment of alleged stolen Ukrainian grain being sold by Russia escalated on Tuesday, as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticised what he called is an illegitimate business.
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“In any normal country, purchasing stolen goods is an act that entails legal liability,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a post on X the day after a heated public exchange between the foreign ministers of Ukraine and Israel.
“Another vessel carrying such grain has arrived at a port in Israel and is preparing to unload. This is not – and cannot be – legitimate business,” Zelenskyy said on X.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said on Monday that “evidence substantiating the allegations have yet to be provided,” as he insisted that Kyiv did not “even submit a request for legal assistance before turning to the media and social networks.”
Zelenskyy responded, stating that “Ukraine has taken all necessary steps through diplomatic channels to prevent such incidents.”
The vessel in question is the Panama-flagged Panormitis, which reached waters close to Haifa on 25 April, according to the marine traffic monitoring services.
Panormitis is allegedly carrying over 6,200 tonnes of wheat and 19,000 tonnes of barley.
Kyiv calls on Israel not to let it dock and not to unload the stolen cargo.
Kyiv has summoned the Israeli Ambassador Michael Brodsky on Tuesday morning to urge action over Panormitis.
Earlier cases of stolen grain arriving in Israel reported
An investigation by Israeli news outlet Haaretz found that at least four shipments of stolen Ukrainian grain have been unloaded in Israel this year.
Kyiv insists Israel can easily verify and identify both the vessel and the origin of the shipments.
“The Israeli authorities cannot be unaware of which ships are arriving at the country’s ports and what cargo they are carrying,” Zelenskyy said on Tuesday.
“Russia is systematically seizing grain on temporarily occupied Ukrainian land and organizing its export through individuals linked to the occupiers. Such schemes violate the laws of the State of Israel itself.”
According to Ukrainian investigative journalists, Russian bulk carriers are being loaded with grain from occupied Ukrainian territories, transferred into shadow fleet vessels, before departing from Russian ports with the cargo.
According to Kyiv’s estimates, at least 15 million tonnes of Ukrainian grain have been stolen by Russia since the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022.
Public spat continues
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha first took to X on Monday evening, calling on Israel to reject the stolen Ukrainian grain on board thePanormitis near Haifa.
His Israeli counterpart Sa’ar was quick to respond, asking Kyiv to refrain from conducting diplomatic relations on social media.
But for Ukrainian officials, public space might seem like a more efficient means of communication after diplomatic channels proved ineffective in past incidents.
Russian bulk carrier Abinsk delivered nearly 44,000 tonnes of stolen Ukrainian wheat to Israel a few weeks ago, causing a sharp diplomatic response from Kyiv.
Ukraine’s foreign ministry stated at the time it had informed Israeli officials in advance about the Abinsk earlier this month, and yet the grain was unloaded.
According to Kyiv, Ukrainian officials informed Israel on 23 March that the Abinsk cargo contained grain from the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine.
Ukraine says “assurances were received regarding an appropriate response.”
Yet Abinsk was allowed to unload at the port of Haifa on 12-14 April.
“We see that yet another such vessel has not been stopped,” Zelenskyy said on Tuesday.
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