Russia Ships Crimean Grain to Saudi Arabia in First Direct Trade
A Russian bulk carrier has transported grain from occupied Crimea to Saudi Arabia, marking the kingdom’s first direct imports of cereal from the region. The voyages highlight Moscow’s push to expand exports from Ukrainian ports under its control since 2014. Investigators have traced the shipments to a terminal already under Western sanctions.
The vessel Krasnodar completed two trips from Sevastopol’s Avlita grain terminal to Saudi Arabia between September and November 2025. The port and terminal remain blacklisted by the EU, UK, and US for their role in handling grain seized from Ukrainian territories. A joint probe by Bellingcat and Lloyd’s List confirmed Saudi Arabia as the latest buyer of such cargo.
The shipments confirm Russia’s success in finding new markets for Crimean cereal, despite shipping restrictions. Saudi authorities have not commented on whether they were aware of the cargo’s origin. The trade route further embeds Sevastopol as a hub for exports that Ukraine and its allies consider illegal.
Read also:
- American teenagers taking up farming roles previously filled by immigrants, a concept revisited from 1965's labor market shift.
- Weekly affairs in the German Federal Parliament (Bundestag)
- Landslide claims seven lives, injures six individuals while they work to restore a water channel in the northern region of Pakistan
- Escalating conflict in Sudan has prompted the United Nations to announce a critical gender crisis, highlighting the disproportionate impact of the ongoing violence on women and girls.
