Sweden Seizes Russian Shadow Fleet Vessel Over Transport of Stolen Ukrainian Grain

Sweden has confiscated a cargo vessel accused of illegally transporting Ukrainian grain from territories occupied by Russia, the country’s prosecution authority announced on April 29.

The ship, identified as the Caffa cargo ship, was detained by Swedish border authorities on March 6 in the Baltic Sea near the city of Trelleborg.

At the time, it was en route from Casablanca to Russia’s St. Petersburg.

Since March 10, the vessel had been held under arrest as part of an investigation into potential violations of international law and sanctions regimes.

Swedish prosecutors said the decision to confiscate the ship followed a request for legal assistance from an unnamed foreign country conducting a pre-trial investigation into suspected criminal activity.

“A foreign authority requested that certain investigative measures be carried out in Sweden, including those related to the vessel Caffa. I decided to confiscate the ship so that a court can consider the possibility of transferring it to another state,” prosecutor Håkan Larsson said.

Authorities also noted that the vessel had been operating under a false flag, claiming registration in Guinea.

According to Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence, the ship loaded grain in July 2025 at the port of Sevastopol in temporarily occupied Crimea. Kyiv has since placed the vessel under sanctions for its alleged involvement in the illegal export of goods from occupied territories.

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A Swedish court is now expected to review whether the confiscated vessel can be handed over to another country as part of ongoing legal proceedings.

Earlier, reports emerged that a shipment of Ukrainian grain that was taken by Russia from temporarily occupied territories will not be unloaded in Israel.

The Israeli official said the decision to reject the wheat and barley cargo carried by the Panama-flagged Panormitis was made by the importer, not by government authorities.

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