Ukraine accuses Russian ship captain of war crime over stolen grain exports in first-of-its-kind case
Ukrainian prosecutors have accused the captain of a Russian cargo ship of a war crime for transporting more than 54,000 metric tons of grain stolen from occupied Ukrainian territory, marking the first time Ukraine has applied this legal approach to a ship captain involved in such exports.
The Russian national, who commanded the cargo vessel Matros Pozynich, was formally notified of suspicion in absentia, Ukraine's Prosecutor General's Office and Security Service (SBU) announced on October 19.
According to investigators, the vessel made two unauthorized calls at the Russian-occupied port of Sevastopol in Crimea, transporting a total of 54,374 metric tons of Ukrainian wheat toward the Syrian port of Latakia.
The first shipment, in November 2022, carried 27,074 metric tons. A second shipment in January 2023 carried another 27,300 metric tons.
Ukrainian authorities allege that Russian forces had illegally seized the grain in occupied territories and that the cargo was subsequently presented as Russian-produced wheat.
Investigators say the captain periodically switched off the vessel's Automatic Identification System (AIS) and transmitted false location data to conceal its movements and calls at the occupied Crimean port.
Acting Prosecutor General Anton Kovalskyi said the case establishes a new approach to prosecuting those who knowingly facilitate the removal of property seized from occupied territories.
"This case goes far beyond a single suspicion," Kovalskyi said, explaining that Ukrainian prosecutors had developed and applied a legal framework for treating a ship captain's involvement in transporting illegally seized grain as a war crime.
He said criminal liability could extend beyond those who directly confiscated Ukrainian property to individuals who knowingly helped transport it or conceal its true origin.
The legal approach was developed by Ukrainian prosecutors and SBU investigators in cooperation with international experts.
The captain is suspected of violating the laws and customs of war under Article 438 of Ukraine's Criminal Code, as well as breaching regulations governing entry to and departure from Russian-occupied Ukrainian territory.
Ukrainian authorities say the investigation is continuing to identify other people involved in the operation.
The allegations have not been tested in court, and the captain has not been convicted.
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