Zelenskyy: The occupiers are looking for a way to sell the half a million tonnes of grain they’ve stolen

KATERYNA TYSHCHENKO – MONDAY, 30 MAY 2022, 23:09

The occupiers have already stolen half a million tonnes of grain in Ukraine and are looking for a way to sell it.

Source: President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in an address

Quote: "The Russian occupiers have already stolen at least half a million tonnes of grain in our occupied territory and now they’re looking for ways to sell it somewhere illegally - to sell it in such a way that they make money on the stolen grain and also keep the legitimate market short of it."

Details: According to Zelenskyy, because Russia is blockading Ukrainian ports in the Black Sea and has seized the Ukrainian part of the Sea of ​​Azov, Ukraine cannot export 22 million tonnes of grain that are already in storage.

"That is the amount that should have entered the overseas market. And Russia's blockade of our exports is actually destabilising the situation on a global scale. As a result, food is becoming more expensive in various countries. Consequently, there is a threat of famine. In Africa, in Asia, and in some European countries", the president said.

Zelenskyy says this threat could turn into a new migration crisis, and Russia wants it to.

Background:

•       Russian occupiers steal and export grain from temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine.
•       On 4 May, it was reported that the Russian ship Matros Pozynych had been loaded with 27,000 tonnes of grain in temporarily occupied Crimea and tried to sell it to Egypt, but after being refused, it changed direction towards Lebanon and Syria.
•       On 10 May, the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine stated that grain stolen from Ukraine was already in the Mediterranean. Its most likely destination is Syria.
•       On 12 May, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba warned that assisting Russia in selling or buying grain stolen from Ukraine meant complicity in its crime. According to Kuleba, the international media reported that a Russian ship loaded with stolen Ukrainian grain had arrived in Syria.

·        On 29 May, CNN reported that the Russian ship Matros Pozynych had arrived in Syria with another shipment of grain, probably stolen from Ukraine.