Russia has opened a new market for selling stolen Ukrainian grain

Russia has for the first time shipped a grain cargo to the occupied Sevastopol for Venezuela. In doing so, Russia attempts to legitimize trading routes from the occupied Ukrainian territories with its international partners, as reported by Lloyd’s List.

The bulk carrier under the Russian flag, Enisey (IMO: 9079169), began loading grain in Sevastopol on April 9, according to satellite images examined by Lloyd’s List, before exiting the Bosporus on April 30. Its automatic identification system signaled the destination port as Puerto Cabello.

Although Lloyd's List couldn't independently verify the origin of the loaded grain, documents obtained by researchers from open sources SeaKrime and KibOrg indicate that Enisey loaded 27,000 tons of "Russian-origin wheat".

Previous investigations by Lloyd’s List have shown Sevastopol being used for exporting Ukrainian-origin cargoes.

“With this trade, Russia is signalling that legitimising and internationalising the so-called new republics is now a political priority — they are no longer hiding this,” said Bosphorus Observer geopolitical consultant Yörük IÅŸik.

Russia has been a significant wheat exporter to Venezuela in recent years, notably in 2017/18 and 2018/19, when it accounted for about a quarter of Venezuela's total annual wheat imports. However, these shipments only resumed recently.

In addition to the Enisey shipment, WL Atlantic loaded in the period from April 13 to 15, 2024, at the port of Kaliningrad and anchored at Puerto Cabello on May 5.