A vessel named PANORMITIS recently arrived at the Israeli port of Haifa carrying a large shipment of grain that is suspected to originate from temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. According to indirect evidence, the cargo may have been transported from the ports of Kerch and Berdiansk. The shipment includes approximately 6,200 tons of wheat and more than 19,000 tons of barley. This marks the second such incident reported in April.

Earlier in the month, another vessel, ABINSK, also delivered grain believed to have come from occupied Ukrainian territories to Israel. In response to these developments, Ukraine took diplomatic action by summoning the Israeli ambassador and issuing an official note of protest. This was confirmed by Ukraine’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Andrii Sybiha.

Israel’s Foreign Minister, Gideon Sa’ar, responded by stating that the accusations lack verified evidence. He emphasized that Israel adheres to the rule of law and that its independent law enforcement authorities would act accordingly if there are legal grounds to investigate.

Ukraine has warned that it reserves the right to take a full range of diplomatic and legal measures if the second vessel carrying allegedly stolen grain is unloaded in Israel. Kyiv also expressed concern that Israel had effectively ignored its earlier objections when a previous shipment was unloaded in Haifa.

Media reports suggest that up to four such shipments of potentially stolen Ukrainian grain may have already been unloaded in Israel this year. Moreover, Israel is not the only country involved — similar deliveries have reportedly been made to Turkey, Egypt, Algeria, and other states.

Amid these developments, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that Ukraine is preparing a sanctions package targeting all parties involved in these operations. This includes not only those transporting the grain but also individuals and companies profiting from its sale. The measures are expected to be coordinated with international partners to include the responsible parties in European sanctions lists.

The European Union has also indicated that it may impose sanctions on Israeli individuals and entities found to be involved in the illegal trade of Ukrainian grain.

Overall, the situation is escalating into a broader international issue, potentially leading to increased sanctions and diplomatic tensions.