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Ukraine Charges Russian Deputy Agriculture Minister With War Crime Over $550M Grain Theft
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![Photo of Dariia Mykhailenko]( "Photo of Dariia Mykhailenko")
The Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine has notified a Deputy Minister of Agriculture of the Russian Federation of suspicion for committing a war crime related to the organized theft of Ukrainian grain.
This high-level charge, reported by the Prosecutor General's Office via Telegram on October 28, stems from the official's alleged role in organizing the illegal appropriation of over 4.1 million tons of grain and property from Ukrainian agricultural enterprises in the temporarily occupied territories.
The stolen grain is valued at approximately $546 million. Russian forces systematically transported the plundered goods to Russia and occupied Crimea, from where it was then exported by sea, disguised as “Russian” grain.
The Deputy Minister has been charged under Part 1 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, which addresses the violation of the laws and customs of war, underscoring Kyiv's commitment to prosecuting those responsible for economic and military crimes.
Meanwhile, Russia has restarted shipping grain to Syria, utilizing cargo illegally taken from occupied areas of Ukraine. Investigative journalist Kateryna Yaresko of the SeaKrime project (Myrotvorets Center) tracked the dry cargo ship DAMAS WAVE (flagged in the Comoros).
According to the August 19 report by Latifundist Media, this vessel has made at least three voyages carrying the pilfered Ukrainian grain between the occupied Crimean port of Feodosia and Tartus in Syria.
Earlier, it was reported that since launching its full-scale invasion in 2022, Russia has stolen an estimated 15 million tons of Ukrainian grain, which Moscow then mixes with its own produce and ships to international markets.
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