The Security Service of Ukraine arrested a ship belonging to Russia's shadow fleet in the port of Odesa
The Security Service of Ukraine detained a foreign ship in the port of Odesa that was part of Russia's shadow fleet and was used to illegally export Ukrainian agricultural products from the temporarily occupied Crimea. According to the investigation, the ship's owner is under sanctions by the National Security and Defence Council and systematically changed the ship's name and formal beneficiaries in third countries to circumvent the restrictions.
The dry cargo ship arrived in Odesa under the flag of an African state to load a batch of steel pipes. The SSU established that before the start of the full-scale war, the ship had called at Sevastopol at least seven times. During one of its voyages in January 2021, it exported almost 7,000 tonnes of grain to North Africa.
At the time of detention, the captain and 16 crew members, citizens of several Middle Eastern countries, were on board. During the search, law enforcement officers seized flight plans, navigation charts, pilotage materials and communication logs with evidence of calls at ports in the occupied territories.
The investigation opened criminal proceedings under articles on financing actions against the territorial integrity of Ukraine, high treason, violation of transport rules, and illegal entry into the occupied territories. The ship has been seized and will be transferred to the ARMA.
