Ukraine accuses Israel of importing Russian-looted wheat from occupied regions
Ukraine has accused two Israeli firms of importing wheat stolen by Russia from occupied eastern regions. The grain, allegedly taken from Ukrainian ports, arrived in Haifa in April. Kyiv is now pushing for sanctions and an investigation into the trade.
The dispute centres on a shipment of 43,800 tons delivered by the vessel *Abinsk*. Ukrainian officials claim part of the cargo was looted from Berdyansk and Sevastopol before being smuggled into Israel.
The journey of the disputed wheat began in occupied Ukraine. Russian forces loaded the grain onto two smaller ships, the Leonid Pastrikov and the Fedor, at the ports of Berdyansk and Sevastopol. The cargo was later transferred to the Abinsk, which then disabled its tracking transponders to hide its route.
On 12 April, the *Abinsk* docked at Haifa Port, where Dizengoff Trading took delivery of 43,800 tons of grain. Ukrainian authorities allege that 16,500 tons of this shipment were wheat stolen from farms in eastern Ukraine. The Ukrainian Embassy in Tel Aviv formally complained to Israeli police, naming Dizengoff Trading and Zenziper as the importers. Israel’s Foreign Ministry rejected the allegations, citing insufficient evidence. Dizengoff Trading insisted it followed international trade rules and held all necessary paperwork. Meanwhile, Kyiv is working with the EU to target the companies under laws banning trade in goods from occupied territories. The EU has begun reviewing the reports and may impose sanctions on those involved in the grain trade. Ukraine has also demanded lab tests on the cargo and the seizure of the ship’s documents to uncover the full extent of the operation.
The case highlights Israel’s reliance on foreign wheat, with around 90% of its supply imported—much of it from Russia since 2022. If proven, the allegations could lead to legal action against the Israeli firms and tighter scrutiny of grain imports. The EU’s potential sanctions may further complicate trade routes for agricultural goods from contested regions.
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