Since the beginning of 2024, Russians have exported about half a million tons of grain from the occupied territories of Zaporizhzhia region and plan to steal another 200,000 tons.
This was reported by the head of Zaporizhzhia OVA, Ivan Fedorov.
"This year, approximately half a million tons of wheat have been exported from the region, which constitutes one-seventh of all the grain Russia has sold for export. They plan to export an additional 200,000 tons," he said.
Fedorov noted that the Russian forces are transporting grain and technical crops from the occupied territories of the region to Crimea and Russia, from where it is then exported.
According to him, at the beginning of the full-scale war, 1.8 million hectares of arable land were cultivated in Zaporizhzhia region. Currently, 1.4 million hectares (80%) are under occupation or in active combat zones.
"The Russian forces have also stolen grain from elevators, grain storage facilities, and the port of Berdyansk, which had been stored from previous years. Just from the stolen grain, losses to the agricultural sector of Zaporizhzhia region amounted to over 7 billion UAH in the first year of occupation," Fedorov added.