How Russia Smuggles Stolen Ukrainian Grain

Bellingcat has exposed how some Russian cargo ships are managing to circumvent the European Union’s sanctions on the shipment of stolen Ukrainian grain. In its investigation Russia’s Grain Smuggling Fleet Continues Undeterred, the investigative journalism organization tracked and mapped the movements of a Russian-flagged bulk carrier called Irtysh, revealing how it has been smuggling grain from occupied Crimea to Houthi-controlled Yemen.

Using AIS tracking data and satellite imagery, Bellingcat created an animated interactive map showing the route taken by the Irtysh as it transported Ukrainian grain through the Bosphorus Strait and the Suez Canal to Yemen in August of this year. To avoid detection, the Irtysh switched off its AIS transponder in the Black Sea. However, satellite imagery shows the ship taking on grain in the occupied Crimean port of Sevastopol. It then reactivated its AIS in order to pass through the Bosphorus and continue its journey to Yemen. On the return voyage, the Irtysh once again turned off its AIS in the Black Sea after traversing the Bosphorus.

During Bellingcat’s observations of the Irtysh’s smuggling activity, the organization also identified two other Russian ships, the Matros Pozynich and the Zafar, which similarly switched off their AIS in the Black Sea and loaded cargo at the port of Sevastopol.

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The Inception of Russia’s LNG Ghost Fleet - How Russia's shadow fleet of 600 oil tankers are evading Western sanctions