The SBU detained the executives of an Odesa-based company for assisting Russia in the sale of stolen grain

The Security Service of Ukraine has uncovered a scheme to launder nearly 8,000 metric tons of Ukrainian grain that Russian occupiers illegally shipped out of the temporarily occupied city of Mariupol for sale to third countries. According to the SBU, the value of the cargo exceeds 60 million hryvnias, and executives of an Odesa-based company—who have been detained—were involved in the scheme.

 

As a result of comprehensive operations in Odesa, two accomplices of the aggressor country were detained; they had helped Russia conceal the origin of the stolen agricultural products worth over 60 million hryvnias.

As the investigation revealed, the suspects were the director of the Odesa branch of a foreign company specializing in the certification of agricultural products and his subordinate—the head of the laboratory.

It was established that in 2024, Russian forces loaded 7,857 metric tons of Ukrainian wheat onto the sanctioned vessel “Alfa M” at the port of Mariupol.

From there, the stolen cargo was transported to the port in Temryuk, Krasnodar Krai, where fictitious documents were drawn up claiming the grain was of Russian origin.

The agricultural products were then delivered to a country in the Middle East for further sale through a local export company.

To conceal the true origin of the goods and ensure they could be sold, representatives of the Russian Federation established “connections” with the management of a specialized enterprise in Odesa and ordered forged documents.

Subsequently, the branch director and his subordinate, knowing that the stolen wheat was of Ukrainian origin, organized a “paper” inspection and issued a fictitious report claiming the grain was of Russian origin.

SBU officers documented the crimes committed by both suspects and detained them.

During searches of their residences and the company’s office, computer equipment, cell phones, documentation, and forged laboratory reports were discovered, providing evidence of crimes committed in the interests of the Russian Federation.

Security Service investigators notified the suspects of their charges under Part 2 of Article 28 and Part 1 of Article 111-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (aiding an aggressor state, committed by a group of persons acting in concert).

They have been placed in pretrial detention as a preventive measure. The suspects face up to 12 years of imprisonment with confiscation of property.

Comprehensive measures were carried out under the procedural guidance of the Office of the Prosecutor General.

Source: SBU

As a reminder, two Russian military personnel will stand trial for torturing civilians during the occupation of the Kyiv region.

Earlier, the SBU exposed Russian agents who were coordinating attacks on Dnipro and Sloviansk.

Additionally, a 51-year-old resident of the Odesa region was sentenced to 15 years in prison with confiscation of property for treason.

Law enforcement officers detained a military officer suspected of working for the Russian FSB. According to the case file, the man was gathering data on defense and critical infrastructure facilities to coordinate massive strikes on Kyiv on September 21–24.

Prior to this, a Russian spy network was uncovered in the Kharkiv region, and four members were taken into custody.