The Panormitis vessel, which was transporting illegally exported grain from the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, has left the territorial waters of Israel and headed into neutral waters. This was made possible after a series of legal and diplomatic actions taken by the Ukrainian side to counter the illegal export of agricultural products.
This is reported by Finway
Ukraine’s Response and International Support
“It is a positive moment that the Panormitis vessel, which is illegally transporting grain from the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, will not be unloading in Israel. This demonstrates the effectiveness of Ukraine’s legal and diplomatic actions,” he noted.
According to representatives of the Ukrainian authorities, this situation serves as a clear warning to other vessels, as well as their operators, captains, insurers, and governments: purchasing stolen Ukrainian grain is unacceptable and may lead to sanctions consequences. Ukraine emphasized that it will continue to monitor the actions of the Panormitis vessel and warns against any operations involving it.
Israel Refused to Accept the Cargo Due to Sanctions Risks
According to media reports, the Israeli importing company refused to unload the grain exported from Ukraine due to fears of falling under international sanctions. This step confirms the effectiveness of the sanctions policy against Russia’s shadow grain fleet.
Earlier, the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine provided the Israeli side with the necessary package of documents for the arrest of the vessel carrying the stolen Ukrainian grain. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine also announced further strengthening of international sanctions measures against companies and vessels involved in the illegal transportation of Ukrainian agricultural products.