The article examines the routes and operations of two ships that transported grain from the occupied Crimea to Iran, violating international maritime regulations.
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The article reveals scandalous details about the export of grain from the occupied Crimea to Yemen. You will learn how a Russian-flagged ship violated international norms by hiding its route, and why these actions have outraged Ukraine. Read on to understand how such schemes threaten sanctions and international security.
Disclaimer: This article is prepared for informational purposes only. All information presented in the material is based on open sources and is not intended to accuse any individuals or organizations.
Ukraine has expressed outrage over a second clandestine export operation, when a Russian-flagged ship transported grain from a port in the occupied Crimea to Houthi-controlled Yemen. The port is under Western sanctions.
Such actions, which Ukraine calls “grain theft” through the occupied territories, have become frequent since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion. Dozens of ships deliver grain from Crimean ports to Syria, Iran and other countries.
Ukraine has long called on ports to refuse to accept such cargoes if their illegal origin is known. The issue has also been repeatedly raised with the International Maritime Organization.
According to the latest case, the Zafar (IMO: 9720263) loaded grain in Sevastopol in early October and arrived at the port of Salif in Yemen in mid-November. Before reaching its final destination, the vessel stopped in Djibouti, where it is routinely inspected by the United Nations Verification and Inspection Mechanism (UNVIM) for Yemen.
Satellite and ship tracking data confirm that the vessel was in Djibouti in early November and then continued on its route to Yemen. However, it is not known whether the vessel underwent an official inspection.
Earlier this year, the Zafar made a similar trip, as reported by various sources. Experts noted that grain shipments from occupied Sevastopol, even with UNVIM approval, created a tense situation for the UN. This was happening against the background of the fact that most of the organization’s member states repeatedly voted against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The UN General Assembly adopted a number of resolutions against the annexation of Crimea and the fighting in eastern Ukraine back in 2014. In 2022, after Russia’s full-scale invasion, the UN General Assembly called for the complete withdrawal of Russian troops from the territory of Ukraine. However, General Assembly votes, unlike Security Council resolutions, are only advisory in nature.
The port of Sevastopol is currently under US and UK sanctions, and the terminal where the Zafar docked is under EU sanctions. However, the UN has not imposed sanctions on either the port or Russia.
A Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman said Ukraine was outraged that the Zafar had arrived in Yemen from Crimea, although he declined to comment on UNVIM’s role. He added that Ukraine was continuing its efforts to expose Russia’s illegal movement of Ukrainian grain through occupied territories and ports.
There was no immediate comment from the Russian government or the Russian Foreign Ministry at the time of publication.
It remains unclear where the grain that the Zafar delivered to Yemen was harvested. Farmers in the occupied territories of Ukraine have previously accused Russian forces of confiscating the grain, which was then exported.
Yemen remains one of the world’s poorest countries. A decade of civil war between the internationally recognized government, backed by Saudi Arabia, and the Houthis, backed by Iran, has led to a severe humanitarian crisis. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees says millions of people have been displaced and the country is on the brink of famine.
The grain shipment delivered by the Zafar in November arrived just days before reports emerged that Yemeni mercenaries were fighting alongside Russia in Ukraine. Some Yemenis say they were tricked into traveling to Russia and then forced to fight.
While there is no direct evidence linking the grain shipments to the Yemeni mercenaries’ involvement in the war, Russia has reportedly sought to develop contacts with the Houthis. However, the Pentagon said it had found no significant Houthis support or influence in the war in Ukraine.
The US State Department noted UNVIM’s important role in facilitating the movement of goods and separately condemned the theft of Ukrainian grain, calling it “appalling.”
The Zafar, a 180-meter bulk carrier, was captured on satellite imagery while loading grain at the port of Sevastopol on October 6. Its Automated Identification System (AIS) transponder was switched off, masking its location from maritime observers and marine tracking data. sites.
Deliberately switching off AIS is generally considered a deceptive shipping practice unless the vessel is in danger.
The Zafar switched off its AIS on 28 September, last seen south of the Kerch Strait between Crimea and Russia. The vessel then visited Sevastopol, as confirmed by satellite images showing the loading of grain. The AIS was only switched on again on 9 October.
According to AIS, the Zafar passed through the Bosphorus Strait on 14 October, then continued its route through the Suez Canal, heading for Djibouti.
After leaving Djibouti, it sailed to Salif in western Yemen, where satellite images showed the ship unloading on November 13. AIS showed the ship in port at the same time.
Leaving Salif on November 18, Zafar returned through the Suez Canal, the Bosphorus Strait, and back into the Black Sea.
According to AIS data, at the time of writing, the Zafar was anchored in the Kerch Strait, a waterway between Russia and occupied Crimea. This is the same location where the ship last disappeared from AIS before satellite imagery captured it loading grain at the port of Sevastopol.
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