Russian Cargo Ship Carrying Ukrainian Grain Detained by Turkey

According to a report on July 3rd, the Ukrainian ambassador to Turkey said on Sunday that Turkish customs authorities had detained a Russian cargo ship carrying food that Ukraine said was stolen.

Ukraine had previously asked Turkey to detain the Russian-flagged Zhibek Zholy cargo ship, according to an official and documents reviewed by sources.

Reporters saw that the Zhibek Zholy was moored on Sunday outside the port of Karasu, about 1 km off the coast, and there were no obvious signs of movement on board or nearby.

“We have full cooperation. The ship is currently standing at the entrance to the port and it has been detained by Turkish customs authorities,” Ambassador Vasyl Bodnar said on Ukrainian state television.

Bodnar said the fate of the ship would be decided by a meeting of investigators on Monday, and Ukraine hoped the grain can be confiscated.

Ukraine has accused Russia of stealing food from territories it has occupied since the invasion began in late February. The Kremlin has previously denied that Russia stole any Ukrainian food.

A Ukrainian foreign ministry official, citing Ukraine’s Maritime Administration, stated on Friday that the 7146-ton cargo ship Zhibek Zholy had loaded the first shipment from the Russian-occupied port of Berdyansk in southern Ukraine with 4,500 tons of Ukrainian grain.
The Sakarya Port Authority in the region had no immediate comment, and Turkey’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Miles Guo once again said in today’s live broadcast that the Russia-Ukraine war will develop into an unrestricted warfare of grain. This news once again verified Miles Guo’s judgment.