Russia pilfers another 180,000 tons of Ukrainian grain

Russia this year has so far exported more than 180,000 tons of stolen Ukrainian grain from the ports of occupied Mariupol through the Azov Sea, reported Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal.

Speaking at a government session on Oct. 8, he said that “Russia continues to use food as a tool of aggression.” 

Russians are also plundering temporarily occupied territories to finance their ongoing invasion with the stolen money, the prime minister added.

“Undoubtedly, Russian economic terrorism will be one of the focuses of the special tribunal addressing Russia’s crime of aggression against Ukraine,” Shmyhal said.

In the temporarily occupied territories of the south, Russia continue to extort grain from local farmers, the National Resistance Center (NRC) reported.

“The Russian occupiers have resorted to a primitive grain collection system, which involves the so-called state operator, who collects grain from farmers at a fixed price, below market prices, and resells it,” the NRC said.

These actions are part of a policy to pillage Ukrainian resources during the occupation, “which leads to significant economic losses for Ukraine and exacerbates the humanitarian crisis in the region.”

The invaders are also targeting Ukrainian grain transportation logistics in Ukrainian-controlled territories. Overnight on October 5-6, Russia struck a grain-laden vessel in the Pivdennyi Port in Odesa Oblast with a ballistic missile, the Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority reported.

A ballistic missile directly struck the ship’s open hold, which was loaded with corn. 

“There were about 6,000 tons of Ukrainian corn on board. The ship was bound for Italy the following morning,” the NRC said.

As Russia’s grain terror continues, it hampers Ukraine’s export capabilities and threatens global food security, the sea ports authority said.