A Russian cargo ship arrested by Turkish authorities over the weekend has now been released. The Ukrainian government is furious as they suspect grain has been stolen aboard the Zhibek Zholy.
After the diplomatic success of Ukraine, at whose request the Turkish authorities took action, Kiev is once again disillusioned. Foreign Ministry spokesman Oleg Nikolenko tweeted his frustration: “We regret that the Russian ship Zhibek Zholy, full of stolen grain, was allowed to leave the port of Karasu.” Nikolenko spoke of an “unacceptable situation”.
According to Kiev, the ship had left the Russian-occupied Ukrainian port of Berdyansk with 4,500 tons of grain on board. In a letter from the Prosecutor General of June 30 to the Ministry of Justice in Kiev even mentions 7,000 tons of grain. The Attorney General asked Turkish authorities to examine the cargo ship and take samples of the grain.
In media reports a few days ago, pro-Russian representatives in Ukraine celebrated the departure of the Zhibek Zholy from the port of Berdyansk, which had been blocked for months by the fighting, as “liberation”. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Moscow confirmed that it was a cargo ship flying the Russian flag, but the Ukrainian allegations were denied. Earlier there was talk of a delivery “under a contract between Turkey and Estonia”.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
