Diplomatic tensions between Kyiv and Jerusalem have flared after reports that a Russian cargo ship carrying what Ukraine says was stolen grain from occupied Ukrainian territory docked at Israel’s port of Haifa.
Ukraine’s Embassy in Israel said it was deeply concerned by reports, including vessel-tracking data published by MarineTraffic, that the Russian cargo ship ABINSK arrived at Haifa carrying wheat allegedly loaded in Ukrainian territories occupied by Russia. The dispute comes against the backdrop of Russia’s war in Ukraine, which began with Moscow’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.
In a formal statement, the embassy called the reported shipment a blatant violation of international law and Ukraine’s territorial sovereignty. It said it expects all of its partners, including Israel, to show solidarity and act in accordance with international law and justice.
Ukraine called on Israeli authorities to thoroughly examine the matter, act in line with their international obligations and ensure that Israeli territory is not used as a route for goods originating in what it described as illegal activity. Israel has not said whether the ship in fact docked in Haifa and unloaded the grain.
According to tracking data cited by the Ukrainian project Myrotvorets, the Russian cargo ship ABINSK arrived at Haifa port on Sunday carrying 43,765 tons of wheat from occupied Ukrainian territories. Ukrainian researcher Yekaterina Yarsko said the ship came from Kerch in Crimea, which Russia occupies. She said the vessel departed on March 17 with a grain cargo, had been waiting at the outer anchorage since March 23 and was accepted for unloading on April 12.
Job postings on seafarers’ employment websites indicate that the ship’s regular area of operation is the Kerch Strait. The vessel received its current name sometime between July and November 2025, having previously been called Lago di Nemi and sailed under the Liberian flag and, before that, the Sierra Leone flag. The ship was built in Japan in 2006.
The commercial owners of ABINSK are listed as Strategic Grain Management, a Dubai-registered company. According to official Ukrainian data, the company trades in grain from territories occupied by Russia. Another vessel linked to the same company, ISIK 3, was seen entering Crimean ports with its transponder turned off. Ukrainian military intelligence says that ship was detained in Georgia in 2012 after entering the port of Sukhumi.
Ukrainian intelligence estimates that Russia exported more than 2 million tons of grain from occupied territories in 2025, worth about $400 million. The buyers, it said, were in Africa, the Middle East and Asia. Kyiv says Russia continues to export what it calls stolen grain on a large scale.
As examples, Ukrainian officials say the cargo ship Matros Pozynich arrived in Latakia, Syria, on March 13 carrying 27,500 tons of wheat from occupied Ukrainian farmland. Another ship, ZAID, carrying 35,000 tons of wheat, is currently headed to Turkey, they say. The vessel had previously docked in Alexandria, but Egypt refused to accept the grain, according to the report.
One of the main buyers of grain from occupied territories, according to Ukraine, is Iran. Russia and Iran have established a reciprocal trade route through the Caspian Sea, and in exchange for grain, Tehran supplied Moscow with weapons for the war in Ukraine, including Shahed drones, which Russia later began producing domestically and upgrading, according to Kyiv.
The first time reports emerged that allegedly stolen Ukrainian grain had reached Israel was in September 2024. That case involved a businessman from Crimea with ties to Israel. After diplomatic steps by Ukraine, Jerusalem halted the purchases. But in that case, the grain had already been unloaded, mixed with other cargoes and disguised, according to the report. Ukrainian officials say this is the first time wheat from Crimea has arrived directly and openly in Israel.
The latest dispute adds to broader strains in relations between the two countries. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky recently visited several Middle Eastern countries during the war with Iran but skipped Israel.
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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky
(Photo: Shaul Golan, Reuters)
At the start of the war with Iran, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had asked to speak with Zelensky because of Ukraine’s experience intercepting Iranian-made drones and with the intention of pursuing Israeli-Ukrainian cooperation on the issue. Zelensky later said Ukraine had sent drone-interception experts to Jordan to help protect U.S. bases, and Iran responded by threatening that Ukraine had become a legitimate target because of what it called assistance to Israel. Zelensky also said Washington had approached Kyiv on dealing with Iranian Shahed drones.
Meanwhile, Russian media voiced concern over the possible appointment of Maj. Gen. Roman Gofman as head of the Mossad intelligence agency. In a report published Tuesday by the state news agency Tass, the Israeli intelligence service was described as potentially becoming more active toward Russia.
The report quoted national security expert Alexander Stepanov as saying Mossad activity “in the Russian direction may take on a new dimension given the close ties between Tel Aviv and the regime in Kyiv.” He alleged that many Ukrainian intelligence operations were planned with the knowledge and involvement of Mossad agents, and said Israel could provide Ukraine with expertise in warfare and intelligence using artificial intelligence. He also claimed Mossad was effectively becoming a “military-private tool for eliminating leaders directed by Netanyahu.”