Crisis in Ukraine-Israel Relations Looms as Second Vessel Carrying Ukraine’s ‘Stolen Grain’ Enters Haifa

Ukraine’s foreign ministry has summoned Israeli Ambassador to Ukraine Michael Brodsky and is slated to issue an official protest note. Make us preferred on Google Share Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Bluesky Email Copy Copied Ukraine's Minister of Foreign Affairs Andriy Sybiga looks on during a joint press conference with Netherlands's Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp (not pictured) in Kyiv, on January 16, 2025, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Photo by Tetiana DZHAFAROVA / AFP) Content Share Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Bluesky Email Copy Copied Flip Make us preferred on Google Another vessel carrying grain linked to Ukraine’s occupied territories has reportedly entered the Israeli port of Haifa, raising renewed concerns over the ongoing trade in what Kyiv considers looted agricultural products. According to Ukrainian investigative journalist Kateryna Yaresko, the bulk carrier Panormitis (IMO: 9445021) is transporting 6,201.56 tonnes of wheat and 19,043.73 tonnes of barley. While the vessel remained within Russian territorial waters – anchored at the port of Kavkaz – and did not cross Ukraine’s state border, available evidence suggests that at least part of its cargo originated from occupied Ukrainian ports. Follow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official . Investigators have confirmed that one feeder vessel, Leonid Pestrikov (IMO: 9922122), delivered 6,087.68 tonnes of barley and 954.56 tonnes of wheat to Panormitis via transshipment on April 18. The grain was loaded in the occupied port of Berdyansk between April 7 and April 15, before being routed through the Russian port of Temryuk, where shipping documents were issued – an established practice used to obscure the cargo’s origin. Although there are indirect indications that Panormitis’s entire cargo may have originated from ports such as Kerch and Berdyansk, investigators say they can only conclusively verify the portion delivered by Leonid Pestrikov. Ukraine’s foreign ministry has summoned Israeli Ambassador to Ukraine Michael Brodsky and is slated to issue an official protest note following a public confrontation on X between Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha and his Israeli counterpart Gideon Saar, with Sybiha criticizing Israel’s “lack of appropriate response.” Other Topics of Interest Russia Is Bleeding Ukraine has become quite efficient at killing Russian invaders. Lately, it has also shown remarkable skill at striking deep into Russian territory. The future does not bode well for Moscow. “It is difficult to understand Israel’s lack of appropriate response to Ukraine’s legitimate request regarding the previous vessel that delivered stolen goods to Haifa,” Sybiha wrote. Meanwhile, President Volodymyr Zelensky said “such schemes violate the laws of the State of Israel itself,” adding that Ukraine “has taken all necessary steps through diplomatic channels to prevent such incidents.” He said Ukraine is preparing a sanctions package that will cover both those directly transporting this grain and the individuals and legal entities profiting from the scheme. “We will also coordinate with European partners to ensure that the relevant individuals are included in European sanctions regimes,” he added. Ukraine has repeatedly accused Russia of exporting grain from occupied territories since the full-scale invasion, describing such shipments as part of broader economic exploitation and a potential war crime. In 2024, the Wall Street Journal reported that shipments of grain suspected to originate from Ukraine’s occupied regions had been rejected by countries including Israel, Egypt and Lebanon after evidence of their origin was presented. Nonetheless, in mid-April, the Russian cargo vessel Abinsk (IMO: 9303869) – which Kyiv links to Moscow’s so-called “shadow fleet” – arrived at the port of Haifa carrying a shipment of wheat allegedly sourced from a temporarily occupied Ukrainian territory. Ukraine’s Embassy in Israel described the delivery as “a blatant violation of international law and Ukraine’s territorial sovereignty.” Despite Kyiv’s request to halt the shipment, the cargo was allowed to be unloaded. Ukrainian officials had urged Israeli authorities to inspect the grain and detain the cargo. Criminal proceedings have been opened in Ukraine over such exports, but their effectiveness depends heavily on cooperation from destination countries. In the case of Abinsk, Israel declined Ukraine’s request for mutual legal assistance. The issue has sparked growing concern within Israel. The newspaper Haaretz published an investigation detailing how grain from occupied Ukrainian territories may be entering the Israeli market. While first focusing on the Abinsk vessel, the publication states that “by 2023, about a year after the Russian military’s massive invasion of Ukraine, at least two ships carrying stolen grain arrived in Israel, and at least one of them unloaded here.” According to the investigation, which, among other things, cites internal logs from Russian authorities in occupied ports, more than 30 shipments of goods listed Israel as their destination. In 2026 alone, four shipments of suspected Ukrainian grain have already been unloaded in Israel, the investigation claims. Another vessel, Panormitis, reportedly arrived in Haifa Bay on Sunday and is awaiting entry to the port. “Two Israeli grain buyers have confirmed to Haaretz that wheat stolen from Ukraine is being sold in Israel,” the publication reported, adding that such purchases may indirectly finance Russia’s war effort. Despite collaboration in some areas and Israel’s condemnation of Russia’s aggression in Ukraine, the relations between the two states have been complicated, mainly due to Israel’s continuous refusal to provide more robust assistance to Kyiv, allegedly due to the geopolitical concerns and Ukraine’s “anti-Israel voting in the UN.” The situation has not improved following the collapse of the Russian-friendly Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria and Ukraine’s approval of the Iran war, launched by the US and Israel with the goal of dismantling the Ayatollah regime. The Panormitis could serve as a watershed moment for the Ukrainian authorities. Axios journalist Barak Ravid reported that a senior Ukrainian diplomatic source warned that the arrival of Panormitis could trigger a serious deterioration in bilateral relations. “If this ship and its cargo are not turned away, we reserve the right to employ the full range of diplomatic and international legal responses,” the source reportedly told him. “This feels like a slap in the face given the strategic goodwill Ukraine has shown towards Israel – from designating the Revolutionary Guards as a terrorist organization to condemning anti-Semitism. It should be beneath Israel’s dignity to profit from stolen goods,” the source added. Kyiv Post originally contacted Ukraine’s Embassy in Israel to clarify whether Israeli authorities are cooperating with Ukrainian counterparts. The embassy said it is currently examining the situation following its previous statement on the Abinsk case, which it described as a blatant violation of international law. In his response to Sybiha’s public announcement on X, Israeli foreign minister Saar claimed that “diplomatic relations, especially between friendly nations, are not conducted on Twitter or in the media,” while pledging “to examine the matter.” Zelensky separately appealed to Israel, saying that “We expect that the Israeli authorities will respect Ukraine and refrain from actions that undermine our bilateral relations.” Lesia Dubenko is a Ukrainian political scientist and analyst. A graduate of Lund University (MSc in European Affairs), she covers issues relating to international affairs, migration, and disinformation.