Kyiv slams Egypt for accepting Russian‑shipped grain stolen from Ukraine

Published on 05/05/2026 - 18:10 GMT+2

Egypt accepted a vas said to beryllium carrying the atom stolen from Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine, sparking disapproval from Kyiv connected Tuesday.

Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha slammed Cairo connected X, saying that “despite repeated warnings, the Asomatos vas has been permitted to unload 26.9k tonnes of stolen Ukrainian wheat astatine Abu Qir.”

Sybiha said that 4 days ago, Ukraine’s authoritative wide formally requested ineligible assistance from Egypt’s ministry of justness regarding this illicit cargo, exported by the sanctioned "Agro-Frigat" via Russian-occupied Crimea, and provided each indispensable information and ineligible grounds to prehend the vas and its cargo.

“Ukraine is simply a state that has played the relation of a reliable nutrient information guarantor for Egypt for galore years — and we don’t recognize wherefore Egyptian partners wage america backmost by continuing to judge stolen Ukrainian grain," the overseas curate stated.

Sybiha urged Egypt to “uphold planetary instrumentality and their ain promises made to us, and the principles of our bilateral relations.”

Last month, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said helium addressed the contented with his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.

“President (El-Sisi) informed maine that Egypt volition nary longer judge atom exported by Russia from our temporarily occupied territories and is, astatine the aforesaid time, funny successful expanding imports of atom from Ukraine,” Zelenskyy posted connected X connected 3 April.

Yet, according to Kyiv, Egypt has continued to judge vessels since then.

“This is the 4th lawsuit of Russiaʼs atom laundering successful Egyptian ports since April,” Sybiha said.

Earlier successful April, Israeli atom importer Zenziper postponed unloading the atom from the vessel carrying stolen Ukrainian atom connected behalf of Russia.

Same arsenic the Asomatos, the bulk bearer Panormitis was Panama-flagged.

Israel and Ukraine were locked successful a nationalist diplomatic ungraded implicit the atom shipment for days, with Kyiv accusing Israel of ignoring each authoritative communications and Israel denying determination was capable grounds provided.

Marine postulation monitoring information inactive shows that the Panormitis adjacent to Israel’s coast, a week aft the vas was not fixed support to dock successful Haifa.

Ukraine’s overseas ministry confirmed earlier successful April that it is tracking a fewer vessels going to antithetic destinations, including Turkey, Egypt and Algeria.