Ukraine war briefing: Kyiv claims victory over ‘shadow grain fleet’ shipment to Israel

A ship carrying what is said to be stolen Ukrainian grain did not unload in Israel after a week of heavy condemnation from Kyiv. The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, signalled there would be “a more systematic” campaign against vessels carrying grain exported illegally by Russia from occupied areas of Ukraine. “We will systematically act against the shadow grain fleet, in the same way we act against the shadow oil fleet.” Ukraine’s prosecutor general, Ruslan Kravchenko, said the vessel, Panormitis, left Israel’s territorial waters for neutral seas following “a range of procedural measures taken by Ukraine”.

Andrii Sybiha, the foreign minister in Kyiv, said Ukraine would continue to track the vessel and warn against any operations with it. “This is also a clear signal to all other vessels, captains, operators, insurers, and governments: do not buy stolen Ukrainian grain. Do not become part of this crime.” The Panama-flagged vessel’s manager was not immediately available for comment. The Jerusalem Post and other outlets on Thursday cited a statement from Israel’s grain importers association saying that the company importing the grain had been forced to turn away the vessel.

Zenziper, the company named in the reports as the importer, did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment. Radio Sweden meanwhile reported that Swedish authorities had move to seize another bulk carrier, the Caffa, with other reports adding that the seizure related to the illegal export of Ukrainian-grown grain.

Ukraine’s SBU security service said its drones made a second attack in two days on oil facilities at Perm, deep inside Russia, this time hitting an oil refinery. The Lukoil-owned refinery at Perm, located more than 1,500km (900 miles) from Ukraine, is one of the largest in Russia and has a capacity of nearly 13m metric tonnes per year, the SBU said.

Ukraine’s military also struck a refinery in the Russian city of Orsk in southern Orenburg region, triggering a fire. “The Orsknefteorgsintez oil refinery [Orsk in Orenburg region] was hit,” the general staff said. “A strike was recorded, followed by a fire on the territory of the enterprise. The facility is involved in supplying the Russian occupation army.”