Russia receives at least $1 bn in profits from grain stolen in occupied Ukraine
A complex network of international actors is profiting from Russia's theft of Ukrainian grain, undermining efforts to isolate Moscow economically.
Russia profited at least $1 billion from selling grain stolen from occupied Ukrainian territories, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal.
This scheme of selling Ukrainian grain involves a complex network of actors benefiting from Moscow’s wartime patronage system.
Since 2022, Russian forces have occupied some of Europe’s most fertile farmland in Ukraine, seizing harvests or buying them at artificially low prices. “It’s like the war is feeding itself,” said Pascal Turlan, legal director at Project Expedite Justice, which is assisting Ukrainian prosecutors in investigating grain theft.
The operation’s scale is significant. Markiyan Dmytrasevych, Ukraine’s deputy agriculture minister, said, “Since 2022, the operation has directly shipped at least 4 million tons of grain and other produce from occupied Ukraine to international markets, generating revenue of $800 million.”
However, the total value could be much higher, with Ukrainian nonprofit organization Texty estimating it could reach $6.4 billion.
The stolen grain trade involves various entities, including a Russian shipyard equipping the invasion, a company affiliated with Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, and businesses trading through the United Arab Emirates and Syria. This network helps keep Russia’s allies funded and loyal despite mounting economic pressure on Moscow.
Ukraine is working to halt these shipments through diplomatic pressure. Heorhiy Tykhyi, a Foreign Ministry spokesman, reported some success, with countries like Egypt, Israel, and Lebanon canceling or stopping grain purchases after being informed of their origins in occupied territories.
However, Russian allies like Iran and Syria continue to accept these shipments. Iran reportedly buys barley from Crimea at a 34% discount from market prices, according to Kateryna Yaresko, an analyst at SeaKrime.
Read also:
- Russians hit grain trucks in Ukraine’s Sumy, claiming it was a military convoy
- Centre of National Resistance: Russia exports grain from occupied territory of Ukraine to Iran
- Ex-mayor Saldo accused of large-scale grain theft in occupied Kherson
You could close this page. Or you could join our community and help us produce more materials like this.
We keep our reporting open and accessible to everyone because we believe in the power of free information. This is why our small, cost-effective team depends on the support of readers like you to bring deliver timely news, quality analysis, and on-the-ground reports about Russia's war against Ukraine and Ukraine's struggle to build a democratic society.
A little bit goes a long way: for as little as the cost of one cup of coffee a month, you can help build bridges between Ukraine and the rest of the world, plus become a co-creator and vote for topics we should cover next. Become a patron or see other ways to support.
