The Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) has uncovered a scheme to disguise the origin of nearly 8,000 tonnes of Ukrainian grain illegally exported by Russian forces from temporarily occupied Mariupol for sale to third countries.
Following a series of investigative operations, two suspected collaborators were detained in Odessa. They allegedly helped Russia conceal the origin of stolen agricultural products worth more than UAH 60 million.
According to the investigation, the suspects are the director of the Odessa branch of a foreign company specialising in agricultural product certification and his subordinate, the head of the company's laboratory. Investigators established that in 2024, Russian forces loaded 7,857 tonnes of Ukrainian wheat onto the sanctioned vessel Alfa M at the Port of Mariupol. The stolen cargo was then transported to the port of Temryuk in Russia's Krasnodar region, where fraudulent documents were issued falsely identifying the grain as being of Russian origin.
The agricultural products were subsequently delivered to a Middle Eastern country for resale through a local exporting company.
To conceal the true origin of the goods and enable their sale, Russian representatives allegedly established contacts with the management of the specialised Odesa-based company and commissioned falsified documents.
According to investigators, the branch director and the laboratory head, despite knowing that the stolen wheat originated in Ukraine, arranged a fictitious laboratory examination and issued a fraudulent certificate falsely confirming its Russian origin. SSU officers documented the alleged criminal activities of both suspects and detained them.
During searches of their homes and the company's office, investigators seized computer equipment, mobile phones, documents and falsified laboratory reports containing evidence of alleged activities carried out in Russia's interests.
SSU investigators notified the suspects that they were suspected of committing an offence under Part 2 of Article 28 and Part 1 of Article 111-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (assisting an aggressor state through prior conspiracy by a group of individuals). Both suspects have been remanded in custody. They face up to 12 years in prison with confiscation of property.
