Ukraine has asked Israel to seize a cargo vessel it says is carrying grain taken from Russian-occupied territories, escalating a diplomatic dispute between the two countries over the shipment.
Ukraine’s Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko said the vessel, the Panormitis, was en route to the port of Haifa Port with grain that allegedly included supplies originating from occupied regions of Ukraine.
In a statement posted on Telegram, Kravchenko said part of the cargo had been transferred from another vessel before continuing its journey.
Ukraine Calls for Seizure of Vessel
Kravchenko said Kyiv had formally requested Israeli authorities to take action.
“The Ukrainian side is asking its Israeli partners to seize the vessel and its cargo, conduct a search, seize the vessel’s and cargo documentation, take grain samples, and question the crew members,” he said.
Ukraine has long accused Russia of exporting grain from territories seized since the 2022 invasion, including parts of eastern Ukraine and Crimea, which Moscow annexed in 2014.
Shipping Company Rejects Allegations
An official from Royal Maritime Inc, the Greece-based company managing the vessel, denied the accusations.
According to the company, all documentation, including certificates of origin, indicated that the cargo was Russian and not taken from occupied Ukrainian territory.
The competing claims highlight the difficulty of verifying the origin of agricultural shipments amid wartime conditions and contested control over key regions.
Diplomatic Tensions With Israel
The dispute has triggered a public exchange between Kyiv and Israeli officials.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said Ukraine had submitted a formal request only after raising the issue publicly, criticizing what he described as “Twitter diplomacy.”
“The request is now being examined by the relevant authorities,” Saar said, adding that Israel had not previously received sufficient evidence to act.
Ukraine, however, says it has repeatedly raised concerns through diplomatic channels and expects a more substantive response.
Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha urged Israel to treat the matter seriously, warning against dismissing Kyiv’s claims.
The issue forms part of a broader dispute over agricultural exports from Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories.
Kyiv has accused Moscow of integrating seized grain into global supply chains, making it difficult to trace origin once shipments are mixed or re-exported.
The European Union said it had also raised concerns with Israel about a vessel it described as part of a “shadow fleet” potentially linked to such shipments, and warned that sanctions could be imposed on entities involved in facilitating trade tied to Russia’s war effort.
Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry said it had earlier contacted Israel about another vessel, the Abinsk, which it claimed carried similar cargo.
According to Kyiv, that ship was allowed to unload and depart despite its objections, increasing pressure on Israeli authorities to act in the current case.
Russia has not commented directly on the Panormitis case and has previously declined to address the legal status of grain sourced from occupied regions.
The dispute underscores the complex legal and political challenges surrounding trade from contested territories, particularly in sectors like agriculture where tracking origin can be difficult.
As Israeli authorities review Ukraine’s request, the case is likely to test how far third countries are willing to go in policing supply chains linked to the war.
