Ukraine tightens the net: Sanctions 56 ships in crackdown on ‘stolen’ grain exports |
Ukraine has launched one of its most assertive economic countermeasures yet against Russia’s wartime operations, unveiling a sweeping sanctions package targeting 56 maritime vessels accused of exporting grain from territories occupied by Russian forces. The move, signed into force on November 26 by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, signals Kyiv’s deepening effort to impose global accountability on ships and actors involved in what it describes as the systematic theft and laundering of Ukrainian agricultural commodities.
The decree marks a significant escalation in Ukraine’s sanctions strategy. While Kyiv has previously targeted individuals, companies, and financial networks linked to Russia’s invasion, this action represents a dedicated shift toward maritime enforcement-aimed squarely at vessels suspected of transporting grain seized in occupied regions such as Zaporizhia, Kherson, Donetsk, and Luhansk. Ukraine’s leadership argues that this illicit trade directly finances Russia’s war machine, depriving Ukrainian farmers of their livelihoods while enabling Moscow to circumvent international pressure.
“This is an important step-we imposed sanctions on maritime vessels that transported Ukrainian grain from the occupied territories,” Zelenskyy said in his evening video address. “We will increase this pressure. Every Russian crime must receive an appropriate response, and sanctions are the quickest response.”
The sanctions were approved by Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council following proposals by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), which has been actively tracking the vessels’ movements, ownership histories, and cargo records. Once the council adopted the recommendations, Zelenskyy’s decree made them legally binding.
The decision obligates a wide range of Ukrainian state bodies-including the Cabinet of Ministers, the National Bank of........