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Russia Stole Over 2 Million Tons of Ukrainian Grain in 2025, Intelligence Report Reveals
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![Photo of Ivan Khomenko]( "Photo of Ivan Khomenko")
Russian authorities exported more than two million tons of grain harvested in temporarily-occupied parts of Ukraine in 2025, presenting it as Russian produce and expanding the number of international buyers, according to Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SZRU).
The SZRU reported that during 2025, Russia systematically exported grain grown in temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories, primarily using the port of Sevastopol. Approximately 1.4 million tons were exported in the second half of the year alone.
According to a January 17 statement published by the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine, “Russia continues to export grain grown in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, disguising it as Russian-origin produce.” The agency emphasized that these exports are being facilitated through ports under Russian control in the Azov and Black Sea regions.
More than half of the grain shipments—53.6%—were sent to Egypt (490,000 tons) and Bangladesh (250,000 tons), according to the SZRU. Other destinations included Lebanon (78,100 tons), Turkey (96,700 tons), and Syria (94,400 tons). Smaller quantities were reportedly delivered to Saudi Arabia, Vietnam, Djibouti, and certain countries in the Balkans.
To circumvent international sanctions and mask the origin of the grain, Russian exporters used ship-to-ship (STS) transfers in open waters. These operations occurred in the transshipment area near the Port of Kavkaz and involved the use of storage vessels.
This method allowed Russian exporters to avoid docking at ports in occupied Ukrainian territories and reduced the risk of legal repercussions for shipping companies.
The agency noted that this strategy was particularly used for deliveries to Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh, and Vietnam.
Earlier, Ukraine’s Prosecutor General charged a Russian Deputy Agriculture Minister with a war crime over the theft of more than 4.1 million tons of grain—worth an estimated $546 million—from occupied Ukrainian territories. According to the statement, the stolen grain was shipped to Russia and Crimea, then exported under false labels as Russian produce.
